On October 22, Takamatsu Naoyuki, a nearly 70-year-old Japanese friend, appeared at a ceremony donating to poor students in Tsinghua University. Mr. Takamatsu has donated 500,000 Japanese yen respectively to Tsinghua University, Northeast Normal University and Zhejiang University annually to aid poor students there since 1997, according to the overseas edition of People's Daily on October 27.

"I want to do what I could for them"

Mr. Takamatsu, in a well-dressed business suit and gray-haired, does not stand high. Dimples appeared on his cheeks added smiles to his face.

In 1988, the first batch of Chinese students arrived in Japan's Toyama University for study. And seven of them had no scholarships. So they had to attend class at daytime and worked in the evening, leading a hard life. When Takamatsu learned about the students' conditions, an idea came to his mind:"What shall I do for them?"

He started to get in touch with his friends and colleagues that shared the same feelings and established an "association to encourage Chinese students who study in Toyama University in Japan" and himself became the association's president. There are about 100 members in the association. Every one of them should offer a part of funds as activity outlay.

"In fact, I can afford all the charges. However, one more member means one more care with more contact with Chinese students studying in Japan", said Takamatsu.

The association is engaged in various activities supporting Chinese students there. It becomes a routine activity for him to invite the students to tour around Japan for free. "Firstly, let the students have good impressions on Japan, which is beneficial to Japan-China friendship, and secondly, offer them an opportunity for mutual exchanges."

At beginning, there were only seven members in the association and now there are about 100 members. More than 700 Chinese students have received free trips so far. Takamatsu has financed the most part for the association. If conditions permit, he would accompany students to travel. Students have a good time on a bus while he sleeps in the back calmly. Waking up, he would smile when looking at the students. The scene impressed Chinese students taking part in the travels.

The association has done a lot more for Chinese students in Japan. It not only offers all funds for the soccer team set up by Chinese students, but also financed a student's parents in Shenyang to come to Toyama for their son's funeral ceremony due to the student's unfortunate death in a car accident.

In 2002, on learning that Japan Desert Academy assisted Liaoning and Inner Mongolia boundary areas in harnessing desert, Takamatsu made another donation of 3 million yen and was invited as a special member of the academy. He and his wife also arranged a special trip to local villages there. "The villagers killed sheep to treat us and many surrounded us for dinner, making us feel very warm." He still bears the scene in mind today.

"It is not enough to improve Japan-China friendship in mind, and it is the most important to take actions and bring all of us to do it," said Takamatsu.

"China's culture brings delight and strength to me"

Takamatsu began to read "Journey to the West" in his childhood. At that time his parents suffered bankruptcy and his family encountered difficulties in life. "It was the book that brought me great joy." Because of this, he has cherished indebted feelings towards China. "It is Chinese culture that gives me strength so that I will constantly strive to become stronger and insist on struggle."

Since then, Takamatsu has found strong interest in China's culture. He continued to read "Romance of Three Kingdoms", "Heroes of the Marshes" and "A Dream in Red Mansions", ... from picture-story books for children to translation works for adults.

"Now whenever I take one of the books and read a paragraph I will know what will happen next". He has read the books for many times. "There are profound philosophy for human life in Chinese classical novels. I have learned many principles from them," he said.

Takamatsu is interested in Chinese history very much. He cannot remember how many times he has come to China. However, he can remember things he has seen in the country regardless of big or small ones. He has been to numerous cities in China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Hangzhou and Shenyang. He has been to some of them for more than once.

Takamatsu knows very well about Chinese history. At the donation ceremony, he discussed China's development starting from the Tang Dynasty (608-907) with Professor Cai Lesu, deputy director with the History Department of Tsinghua University and expounded many ideas of his own.

In front of a lawn in the university, there stands a rock carved with "Constantly strive to become stronger". Upon passing by, Takamatsu said, "The characters are selected from 'The Book of Changes'. I have also a scroll of the characters hanged in my family."

Takamatsu also like researches on Buddhism and has read Diamond Sutra and Agama Sutra carefully. Now he owns three companies. In the past 10 years, Japan has suffered from sluggish economy, but his firms enjoy a sound development, which can not separate from his application of Buddhist theory.

"He will persist in his goal to the end"

On the eve of his coming to China, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi insisted on his visit to the Yasukuni shrine, a symbol of militarism, which once again has drawn strong opposition from peace-loving people in Japan.

For this, Takamatsu believes, "At present, there are many difficulties for Japan-China relations. Those who really want to have the friendship between Japan and China will not give up the improvement of Japan-China friendly ties, and there will be great things waiting for us to do".

He will insist on this belief. He will persist in boosting Japan-China friendship, just like Zhuge Liang in the book of the "Romance of Three Kingdoms", he will insist on his own goal to the end.

"I believe some day, those who would like to help East Asian countries unite will constitute a kind of strength. I am looking forward to this day", said Takamatsu. "Just like that you shout at a big mountain, there will be an echo one day."

By People's Daily Online