Japanese and Chinese college students will meet in Tokyo for eight days starting Saturday to exchange opinions on the war and the differences in the two nations' interpretations of wartime history.
China will send 18 graduate students from Beijing University and Qinghua University, both in Beijing, and Fudan University in Shanghai, while about 30 students from colleges in the metropolitan area will participate in the event, according to organizers.
The students will discuss issues related to the war at a symposium on Aug. 19. They will attend various group discussions to take on such topics as welfare and affluence.
They will also visit the Defense Agency as part of their field studies, the organizers said.
The Japan-China Students Conference started in 1987. This year will mark the 11th meeting. The event was canceled in 1989 because of the Tiananmen Square incident.
"I couldn't figure out what China was really thinking and didn't particularly like the country until I participated in the meeting," said Yumi Yoshida, 21, a junior at Gakushuin University and one of the organizing committee members.
"Now that I am involved in the meeting, mingling with Chinese students, I am coming to enjoy the differences between China and Japan," she added.
The meeting will take place at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Cultural Center in Tokyo's Yoyogi district.