July 11 marks the Chinese National Pavilion Day at Expo 2025 Osaka, further opening up a window of opportunities for China-Japan trade and cultural exchanges.
Coinciding with this event, Ultraman – the iconic anime series that has witnessed decades of cultural ties between China and Japan, has launched a series of activities to commemorate its 60th anniversary (in 2026), featuring a themed exhibition in Shanghai.
In an exclusive interview with CGTN, Masayuki Nagatake, representative director and president of Tsuburaya Productions, praised the company’s decades-long cooperation with Chinese partners, noting that the Ultraman series conveys messages of “courage, hope and kindness.”
Upholding timeless values while continuously engaging with new themes resonating with each era is key to the Ultraman series’ long-standing appeal, he said.
On tourism, China waived visa requirements for passport holders from Japan and eight other countries starting November 30, 2024, a move that was well-received by the tourism market.
The move comes at a time when China is actively seeking to promote inbound tourism, facilitate business and people-to-people exchanges, and enhance its global openness.
China, Japan and South Korea have agreed to designate the year 2025 and 2026 as the China-Japan-South Korea Cultural Exchange Year.
