On March 14th, 2018, Beijing Normal University Emerging Markets Institute, Belt and Road School, and Japan’s East Asian Community Institute together established the China-Japan Belt and Road Research Center. On that day, Yukio Hatoyama, chairman of the East Asian Community Institute and former prime minister of Japan, delivered a moving speech to the international students at the Emerging Markets Institute. Afterwards, director Hu Biliang and Mr. Hatoyama jointly unveiled the China-Japan Belt and Road Joint Research Center. 45 international students from 24 Belt and Road nations witnessed this moment.

The establishment of the China-Japan Belt and Road Research Center coincides with the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Prime Minister Shinso Abe also responded with positivity to the Belt and Road Initiative, hoping for great strides towards improving Sino-Japanese relationships. Beijing Normal University Belt and Road Institute, as an important research base for the "Belt and Road" initiative, took this opportunity to establish the China-Japan Belt and Road Research Center with Japan, not only promoting the development of friendly relations between China and Japan but also providing a positive impact on the foundation of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Japan East Asian Community Research Institute, which jointly established the joint research center with the Belt and Road Institute at Beijing Normal University, was established in 2013 with the primary goal of advancing the formation of the East Asian Community through cooperation in fields such as diplomacy, security, economy, culture and academy between countries and regions. Mr. Hatoyama mentioned in his speech that the goal of the East Asian Community coincides with that of Chairman Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative. Mr. Hatoyama himself has also actively participated in the Belt and Road Initiative, having attended the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2017 as the only Japanese consultant in the AIIB. The establishment of the China-Japan Belt and Road Research Center is sure to promote close cooperation between the two nations, open up contact between more fields, and jointly contribute wisdom and strength to the East Asian economy and the development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Organizational Structure

China-side Director: Hu Biliang

Japan-side Director: Yukio Hatoyama (Former Prime Minister of Japan)