Present there were Chairman Ho Jong Man and vice-chairpersons Nam Sung U, Pae Ik Ju, Pae Jin Gu and Kang Chu Ryon of the Central Standing Committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), Chairman of the Central Audit Committee of Chongryon Hong In Hum, President of Korean University Jang Pyong Thae, advisers and directors of the Chongryon Central Standing Committee, the director of the Research Institute on History of Korean Residents in Japan, chairpersons of the Chongryon headquarters in Kanto area and others.

Ho Jong Man made a report at the meeting.

The reporter praised Kim Jong Il as the peerless patriot and kind-hearted leader of the people who laid an eternal foundation for the building of a powerful socialist nation and the country's prosperity by making forced march of field guidance all his life after being born as the son of the anti-Japanese guerrillas on Mt Paektu, sacred mountain of revolution.

Kim Jong Il had wisely led Chongryon and the movement of Koreans in Japan along the road of Juche and showed deep love and solicitude for the happiness of the Koreans in Japan and the bright future of posterity, the reporter said.

The reporter stressed that all the Chongryon officials and compatriots should intensify the movement of Koreans in Japan, full of confidence and optimism about victory, cherishing deep the great leaders' undying feats for nation-building and the greatness of respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un who is fully displaying the might of Juche Korea as a politico-ideological and military power all over the world.

A letter to Kim Jong Un was read out at the meeting.

Meanwhile, similar celebration meetings were held at the headquarters of Chongryon across Japan.