Present at the meeting were Japanese personages of various strata including Fumihiro Himori, chairman of the Japan Committee for Supporting the Independent and Peaceful Reunification of Korea, Shingo Kanemaru, adviser to the Tokyo-Pyongyang Rainbow Bridge, Tokuji Yanagisawa, chief director of the Japan-Korea Cultural Interchange Association, and Akihiro Harada, co-representative of the Japanese side of the Fact－Finding Group for the Probe into the Truth about the Forcible Drafting of Koreans, Nam Sung U, vice-chairman of the Central Standing Committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), and officials of Chongryon.

Fumihiro Himori and Nam Sung U made speeches at the meeting.

They said that Kim Jong Il firmly defended the country's sovereignty and dignity under the unfurled banner of independence, Songun and socialism during the days of unprecedented and severe trials and provided the firm foundation for building a powerful socialist country.

They referred to the fact that the New Year Address made by respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un evoked lively response from the international society and a dramatic turn is being made in the north-south relations.

They disclosed that the Japanese authorities are working hard to meanly isolate and pressurize the DPRK while chilling the climate of improving the inter-Korean relations, and called upon the Koreans in Japan and Japanese people to boost exchange and solidarity.