Guo Weimin, vice minister of the State Council Information Office of China, addressed the launch ceremony of the China-themed book exhibition in Osaka, Japan, on June 23.

Guo Weimin, vice minister of the State Council Information Office of China, addresses the launch ceremony of the China-themed book exhibition in Osaka, Japan, on June 23, 2019. [Photo by Wang Jing/China SCIO]

The event is China's first large-scale book exhibition held in Japan, lasting for one month. Multilingual editions of over 600 Chinese books are on display, as well as nearly 10,000 China-themed e-books. 

The books cover various topics related to China, including politics, economy, culture, etc. Organizers said the exhibition is aimed at demonstrating the unique charm of the Chinese culture and the development of contemporary China to Japanese readers.

In his speech, Guo said that both China and Japan boast rich cultures, and that the publishing industry plays an important role in promoting mutual learning and cultural exchanges between the two countries. He said he hopes that the books on display will help Japanese people understand the great changes that have happened in the People's Republic of China over the past seven decades since the country’s founding, and that they could present the country in a real, vivid and holistic manner.

Over 80 people, including representatives of the publishing industry from both countries, attended the ceremony.

The exhibition was organized by China's press and publication administration.