Confucius statue unveiled at Confucius Institute in Osaka, western Japan

A special unveiling ceremony of a bronze statue of Confucius, a Chinese philosopher from the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history, was held on Monday afternoon at a Chinese language school in central Osaka City, western Japan.

The event was organized by the Confucius Institute at Osaka Sangyo University and Shanghai International Studies University in Shanghai, Osaka's sister city in China, to commemorate this year's 10th anniversary of the establishment of the official Chinese language institute.

About 20 representatives from both universities, plus diplomats of the Chinese Consulate General at Osaka, attended Monday's ceremony and unveiled the 1.8-meter-tall metal sculpture, which was displayed in the lobby of the Osaka institute.

Junichiro Sejima, president of Osaka Sangyo University, said he would make utmost use of the bronze replica for local students learning about the Chinese language and its culture, stressing that this is because the idea of Chinese wisdom has been deeply influential and popular among the Japanese people since the 5th century and has become a standard for ethics among them.

Zhang Feng, vice president of Shanghai International Studies University, stated that he understood people in Japan have also shared Confucius' philosophy and writings for over 1,500 years and hopes that the statue will play a central role in promoting cultural exchanges between the peoples of China and Japan and help them maintain long-term ties on all levels.