Japanese enterprise develops friendship with Shanghai students since Expo

A friendship dating back to the 2010 World Expo has linked a Japanese enterprise with students from Shanghai University, and their story is still going on.

It has been eight years since Japan’s leading soy-sauce maker Kikkoman Corp set a “Murasaki” scholarship in Shanghai University. The company holds culture and social communication activities with Shanghai students every year, and invites students to Japan for friendly visits.

A series of food and cooking culture themed communication was held at Shanghai University over the weekend. Kikkoman International Operation Division Director O.Sam Mogi gave students a lecture themed “the secret of sustainable development,” during which Mogi introduced the company’s 350 years of history and shared with audience some insights about Japan’s food and cooking culture.

It was followed by a forum during which 14 students representatives shared with the Japanese guests their observation of the major changes in Chinese people’s daily life, especially eating and shopping habits.

Ma Yue / SHINE

Ma Yue / SHINE

“I was working at the Japanese pavilion during the 2010 World Expo,” Haruhiko Fukasawa, General Manager of Kikkoman’s Foreign Administration Department told Shanghai Daily. “Some Shanghai University students offered us great help when working as volunteers during the period. We managed to maintain the friendship since then.”

The company injects 100,000 yuan (US$15,887) to the “Murasaki” scholarship every year. It also recruits Japanese language major students from the university.

The company has also organized cooking training and career planning activities for Chinese students in the past few years.

“Our connection with Shanghai University first started with our attempt to express gratefulness to their students,” said Fukasawa. “After all these years, we hope the annual communication will contribute to the friendship of the two countries.”