Sasakawa Fund Resumes Japanese-Chinese Publishing Translation Project

On June 19, 2025, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation's Sasakawa Japan-China Friendship Fund officially announced the revival of its Japanese-Chinese publishing translation project during the 31st Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF 2025), which took place from June 18 to 22 at the National Convention Center in Beijing. This announcement was made during a forum titled "Mutual Translation Forum on Sino-Japanese Culture and Academia," organized by Nanjing University Press.

At this forum, representatives from various participating publishers, including Nanjing University Press, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press, the University of Tokyo Press, and Hosei University Press, gathered to discuss their visions for the future of this important initiative.

The first phase of the translation project ran from 2009 to 2019, during which a series called "Modern Introductions to Japan" (Chinese name: 閲読日本書系) was published collaboratively by the participating publishers. Over ten years, this effort resulted in 117 Japanese titles being translated and published in Chinese. Additionally, these publications were donated to more than 100 libraries and research institutions throughout China, significantly contributing to academic exchange and mutual understanding between the two nations.

The project had been temporarily halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges, but it is now set to restart under a new framework. The first book of the restarted series is the Chinese version of “The Era of Great Disasters: Lessons from the Three Major Earthquakes” by Manabu Iokibe, published by Nanjing University Press. Following this, another title, “Writing Academic Books,” co-authored by Tetsuya Suzuki and Momoko Takase, will also be published in Chinese by the same press.

Looking ahead to the second phase, the Sasakawa Fund plans to not only translate and publish Japanese books but also to include Chinese titles that enhance understanding of Chinese society. This multifaceted approach aims to provide more opportunities for intellectual exchanges among a broader audience and address issues related to Japanese and Chinese publishing collaboratively.

Through this initiative, the Sasakawa Japan-China Friendship Fund seeks to foster opportunities for people to engage with and learn from different cultures and perspectives through literature, thus building a cultural and academic bridge between Japan and China.

For further details, visit the official link: Sasakawa Peace Foundation

The announcement featured comments from representatives of various organizations, further highlighting the collaborative spirit of this project.