As Chinese-Japanese relations thaw, the national television
network has announced plans for a series on Japanese society to be
launched in early March
The 20-part series, called Yansong: Eyes on Japan, comes
as details are finalized for Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Japan in April.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited China last
October.
"We thought we were familiar with Japan, but it's not the case,"
said well-known TV personality Bai Yansong, who will present the
programs. "Actually it's a country many Chinese people haven't had
the chance to learn about."
"As a national broadcasting company and China's largest network,
it's our duty to provide a comprehensive and objective view of
Japan," he added.
CCTV will send its largest ever team of journalists to Japan on
March 4 to begin working on the series.
Their 15-20 day screening schedule will cover exclusive
interviews with at least 10 Japanese figures in fields ranging from
politics and economics to the arts.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie Abe, former
Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, famous author Junichi
Watanabe, and actor Ken Takakura, all well known in China, will be
interviewed.
Several documentaries will also be produced, covering topics
like Japanese history, the nation's animation industry, sumo
wrestling, the younger generation, and the aging society.
"I think many Chinese citizens have not had the opportunity to
know Japan particularly well, especially information about our
history after World War II and contemporary Japan," said Keiji Ide,
minister of the Embassy of Japan in Beijing, "We hope we can show
them the real Japan through this series."
Ide said he hoped the project would contribute to Japan's
efforts to boost China-Japan ties and promised to try his best to
help with the interviews.
The programs will be broadcast during prime time on CCTV-1 in
March; during the month, CCTV's news channel and some live news
programs will also be dedicated to Japan. The series will finish
airing before Premier Wen visits Japan in April.
(China Daily January 30, 2007)