Geng Zuo Wei with Chairman Sasakawa

On November 3, foundation Chairman Yohei Sasakawa visited Yunnan Province, China, where he met for the second time with prisoner Geng Zuo Wei (26) at Yunnan Prison Number 2. The meeting followed a visit to the same prison this past March to present a certificate of merit to Geng, whose entry into an essay competition earned an outstanding performance award. The contest was sponsored by the Japan Science Society and the Zhongguo Qingnianbao (China Youth News) newspaper. Following his meeting with Geng, Sasakawa met with personnel responsible for the prison news program, for an interview. He spoke of Geng’s promise: “His rehabilitation and return to society will serve as a model for many other prisoners,” he remarked. “The world of those who have committed crimes tends to be narrow. It’s important for prisoners to understand just how big dreams can be in this world."

Chairman Sasakawa (right), a father figure to Geng

On the day of the meeting, Chairman Sasakawa encouraged Geng to thank prison personnel for allowing them to see each other. At their previous meeting, Sasakawa had promised to support Geng in the early days following his release as would a father. Geng then began a subsequent letter to Chairman Sasakawa, addressing him: “Dear Father.” This meeting as well had overtones of a father counseling his son.

Geng appeared nervous throughout the meeting

Geng, who had just learned the previous day of Chairman Sasakawa’s impending visit, appeared quite nervous during the meeting. He spoke fondly of hopes that his sentence might be reduced once again in March for his good behavior. “You still have a long time here,” replied Sasakawa. “I suggest devoting that time to the careful study of Japanese.” The Chairman then presented Geng with a book on the Japanese language. At the end of the half-hour meeting, Geng placed a hand on Chairman Sasakawa’s arm with a somewhat regretful expression and inquired about his health.

In 2001, Geng was sentenced to an indefinite term for illegal possession of drugs. His sentence was subsequently reduced to 15 years for good behavior. If the sentence is reduced once again, he may be released within a few years.

Chairman Sasakawa is interviewed

Before his visit to Yunnan Prison No. 2, Chairman Sasakawa attended a conference at Yunnan University, for representatives of the 10 Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF) universities in China. At the start of the meeting, Yunnan University President He Tianchun spoke of expectations for the program. “This conference is an important venue for a wide-ranging exchange of opinions and discussions of our experiences, which we plan to draw on to improve the quality of the education.” This marked the first occasion on which representatives of the 10 universities met at one location. During the two-day conference, each university reported on its own SYLFF program. Overall discussions featured an exchange of views on subjects including the importance of networking among universities, and various approaches to running the program.