Overseas Chinese in Tokyo celebrate Spring Festival in various ways

China

Overseas Chinese in Tokyo celebrate Spring Festival in various ways

2025-01-27 02:59 Last Updated At：19:57

As the Spring Festival approaches, Chinese in Tokyo are embracing the festive spirit in a variety of ways, celebrating their heritage and strengthening ties to their homeland.

This year the festival will fall on January 29, ushering in the Year of the Snake -- the sixth animal in the twelve-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. It is regarded as a time for family reunions for Chinese people.

At a Chinese specialty store in Tokyo, the store manager noted that customers have been purchasing Spring Festival goods since last month. Sales of hot pot ingredients, including beef and mutton slices, frozen dumplings, and popular snacks for gatherings, have all increased significantly.

"I will make dumplings for the Spring Festival. I have prepared these ingredients to make dumplings at home. As for the filling, I use local ingredients and whatever is available," said a Chinese student.

In addition to purchasing festive goods, many Chinese in Japan choose to dine out with relatives and friends as the grand festival draws near.

At a Sichuan restaurant in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district, the manager noted that since early January, customers have been calling to reserve private rooms and seats for Chinese New Year's Eve. As a result, their stock volume has increased by 30 percent compared to usual.

"During the Spring Festival, we will prepare some dishes with a festive flavor, such as braised pork, 'Maoxuewang,' and 'Laziji.' This is because, in Sichuan cuisine, these bright red dishes symbolize prosperity and good fortune for the year ahead," said Mi Xijing, the restaurant manager.

"Of course, I will eat dumplings with friends and watch the Spring Festival Gala together on New Year's Eve. Although there is less of a festive atmosphere here, it still has a deep Chinese flavor, and I miss home a little bit," said an Chinese diner at the restaurant. Spring Festival cultural activities were also in full swing across the city. On Saturday, a Spring Festival gala for the Year of the Snake, featuring performances by artists from both China and Japan, was held in Minato Ward.

"Our Spring Festival gala is not just about cultural performances; it actually represents a spiritual home for overseas Chinese," said He Naihe, chairman of the Union of Chinese Residents in Japan.

Meanwhile, the promotional video for the 2025 Spring Festival Gala -- an hours-long television extravaganza presented by state-run broadcaster China Media Group (CMG) -- was screened in Tokyo's Shibuya shopping district. Additionally, the gala in China will be broadcast live online for audience in Japan.

Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that the country is at a critical stage and must achieve national unity, emphasizing that maintaining internal cohesion is of utmost importance.

In a televised address, Rodriguez called on the public to continue trusting the government under the current highly complex political circumstances.

Her statement comes in the wake of a January 3 military operation conducted by the United States, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of the country.

The operation resulted in at least 100 fatalities.

Rodriguez, who was sworn in as acting president two days later on January 5, framed her appeal for unity against this backdrop of external intervention.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Nanez denounced the U.S. actions as a "war crime of the 21st century" when speaking at an international cultural event on Sunday.

Nanez condemned not only the January 3 airstrikes but also the associated cyber and electromagnetic attacks.

He accused the United States of violating international law through the forced removal of President Maduro and his wife, while attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, represent a flagrant breach of humanitarian norms.

He reiterated that the stigmatization and military attacks against Venezuela are driven by economic interests, particularly the desire to control its abundant natural resources.