Outline of the" Peace, Friendship, and Exchange Initiative"

The Goals of the Peace, Friendship, and Exchange Initiative

In the historic fiftieth year 1995 since the end of the war, a conflict which was marked by our country's acts of aggression and colonial domination, the Japanese government expressed feelings of deep self-examination for the unbearable suffering and sorrow caused among many people in the neighboring countries of Asia. The Japanese government, resolute in its antiwar stance, believed that the necessary future path for our country was one of exerting ourselves toward the establishment of world peace, and thus promoted external policies to this end.

From such a standpoint, looking squarely at the history of our relations with neighboring Asian nations and through a furthering of mutual understanding with these and other nations, the Japanese government has inaugurated the "Peace, Friendship, and Exchange Initiative" so that together with its neighbors it can build a forward-looking relationship.

Project Details:

  1. The support project for historical research for the purpose of looking squarely at the past together with various exchange programs geared toward with the strengthening of mutual understanding with neighboring Asian nations serve as the twin pillars of this program. In addition, other projects thought suitable in light of this project's purpose shall be targeted to receive part of 100 billion yen that is being made available for the whole project for ten years beginning in fiscal 1995.
  2. The project to support historical research includes: 1) support provided for collecting books and documents relating to neighboring Asian nations; 2) support provided to researchers from neighboring countries and from our own country.
  3. Projects for substantially expanding various exchange programs between our country and neighboring Asian nations, including: 1) intellectual exchange; 2) student exchange; 3) youth exchange; 4) grassroots, regional, and other exchange activities from various sectors of society.
  4. Moreover, this plan encompasses the already acknowledged necessity for an Asian Historical Document Center. Having investigated this matter it was decided, during a cabinet meeting on November 30, 1999, that this facility would be established in fiscal 2001. Following the establishment of the planning room in the Prime Minister's Office (currently the Cabinet Office), this facility was launched on November 30,2001 with the cooperation of the related ministries and agencies.

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