Photo: Moriyasu Chikazawa, Director of International Department, Kyodo News, Japan

The Eleventh ASEAN Plus Three (10+3) Media Cooperation Forum was held in Kunming, the capital of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, on the afternoon of September 17. Under the theme "Increase Inter-connectivity for Common Development and Shared Benefits," 13 representatives from mainstream media outlets across different countries delivered speeches or keynote speeches centered on this topic. Multiple media guests also engaged in on-site dialogues and exchanges on topics including "Foster New Growth Drivers and Share New Development Opportunities." Moriyasu Chikazawa, director of international department of Japan's Kyodo News, delivered a keynote speech at the forum. The following is the full text of the speech:

I would like to express my gratitude to everyone at the People's Daily for giving me the opportunity to visit the beautiful city of Kunming and speak on this occasion.

Japan and China have a long history of exchanges. The exchanges stretch back more than 2,000 years, according to recorded history. During that time, there have been times when relations were good and times when they were not.

As of 2025, relations between the two countries appear to be relatively stable. Many tourists from China visited Japan, enjoying sightseeing and shopping. For travelers from Japan to China, visas are no longer required, and more Japanese people are predicted to visit China in the future. There is a proverb in Japan that originated from China: "Seeing is believing." I believe that if citizens of both countries deepen their direct exchanges, mutual understanding will grow and a long-term, stable friendship can be built.

By the way, the world of mass media, particularly the print newspaper industry, is entering a prolonged declining trend as digital transformation advances further. This is not unique to Japan. It can be said that this is occurring around the world.

In short, the current situation is that no monetization method equivalent to newspaper subscription fees has been secured. In the digital world, it is not easy for business operators to secure profits under the current circumstances. "Killer content" that citizens are willing to pay for is not just lying around everywhere.

Against this backdrop, it is very important for Japan to know exactly what is happening in China. It would not be an exaggeration to call this "killer content." Kyodo News is one of the first news organizations in Japan that began the coverage of China in earnest. Even now, Kyodo stations several Japanese correspondents in China, and is dedicated to knowing about China exactly and reporting it to Japan accurately.

However, it is also true that revenues have been falling year by year due to the long-term decrease in newspaper circulation. With the explosive spread of smartphones over the past decade or so, "news is free" has taken root among citizens as a fixed notion. I must honestly say that it may be impossible for mass media to survive unless this notion can be changed somehow.

What I would like to explore in the future is exactly what the People's Daily has proposed at this forum as its theme: "Increase Inter-connectivity for Common Development and Shared Benefits."

I think it is very important for media organizations in East Asia to promote exchanges and cooperation for greater inter-connectivity and deeper mutual understanding.

Digital technology has made it possible for us to increase inter-connectivity easily. If we can gain some hints on how to create a system in which news organizations in each country can exchange mutually necessary content and turn it into revenues by using this easy inter-connectivity, that must be the greatest achievement for me.

I hope that those who gathered at this forum will take advantage of their respective characteristics and build a "win-win" relationship.