Present there were So Chung On, director of the international affairs and reunification department of the Central Standing Committee of the General Association of the Korean Residents in Japan, Ri Tong Je, chairman of the Association of Koreans in Japan for Peaceful Reunification, Kang Chu Ryon, chairperson of the Central Standing Committee of the Korean Democratic Women's Union in Japan, Son Hyong Gun, president of the Federation of south Koreans in Japan for Democracy and Reunification, who are vice-chairpersons of the Japanese Regional Committee of the Overseas Side Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration, and Kim Cha Dol, chairman of the Central Standing Committee of the Korean Youth League in Japan, Pak Tong Ho, chairman of the Central Standing Committee of the Union of Korean Students in Japan, Mun Se Hyon, chairman of the south Korean Youth League in Japan, delegates of Japanese civic organizations, young Koreans in Japan, students of Korea University and other Koreans.

Speeches were made.

The speakers referred to the deep emotion that pervaded the country when the historic meeting of the top leaders of the north and the south was held in Pyongyang in October 2007 which culminated in the adoption of the October 4 declaration.

The Koreans in Japan are full of enthusiasm to preserve and implement the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration, reunification programme common to the nation and its practical programme, and achieve the country's reunification, they noted.

They called upon youth and students, who will become the master of the reunified country, to take the lead in ushering in a new phase of the country's reunification.

Introduced at the festival were messages of solidarity sent by the Youth and Student Sub-Committee of the North Side Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration and the Youth and Students Headquarters of the South Side Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration.

On the day, they held a candlelight march chanting slogans calling for the conclusion of the DPRK-U.S. peace agreement and implementation of the north-south joint declaration.