SGRA Kawaraban (Essay) in English

BORJIGIN Husel “Uran Bator Report (2021 Autumn)”

Mongolia has stopped foreigners to enter the country from China at mid-February 2020 because of CORONA pandemic. At the end of February, flights from Japan and South Korea stopped their operations. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Health have changed their immigration rules very often. On the other hand, New Uran Bator Airport, which was postponed for opening many times, has opened on July 4, 2021, as Japanese mass media reported. New Airport is run by “New Uran Bator International Airport Company” which is joint venture by Mongolian Government and Japanese consolidated companies such as Narita International Airport, Japan Airport Building, JALUX and Mitsubishi Corporation. The 32 kilometers highway, which has six lanes (three lanes on each side) and connects between the new airport and Uran Bator City, has also opened. Flights between Japan and Mongolia reopened at the end of last year and the number of flights has increased.

 

I departed from Narita Airport on August 25 by Korean Airline. After one night stop at Inchon Airport in South Korea, I arrived at New Uran Bator Airport on 26th. Immigration at Narita Airport was very severe. I was asked three times for Vaccine certificate, PCR negative certificate and two times for certificate for hotel reservation in Mongolia for seven days after arrival. I was measured for temperature many times. Comparatively at Inchon Airport it was so easy. I could finish the procedure without documents and questions. At Uran Bator Airport, it was not so “severe” but took long time. It took me two hours for temperature checking, Immigration, submission of health check report, PCR checking before receiving my baggage.

 

It took only thirty minutes to arrive Uran Bator City from the New Airport. There were no congestion on highway because the number of flights and users of highway from the airport were less. However, in the city, it took me more than one hour to reach hotel due to road congestion. There were no change in the city of Uran Bator without a scene that everybody wears mask.

 

Many friends of mine in Japan, who knew my arrival at Uran Bator, asked me various questions. “How did you go to Mongolia?” “I would like to go to Mongolia. But it does not seem to be easy.” Departure from Japan, connection at South Korea, Immigration at Mongolia etc. It took me a week to reply to all of them by mail.

 

On September 4, we had 14th Uran Bator International Symposium “A hundred years of relations between Japan and Mongolia–History, Present situation and Prospect” at Multi-purpose room, Building2, Fourth floor, at Mongolian National University on-line basis under the joint sponsorship of Showa Women’s University (International Culture Research Center), SGRA Sekiguchi Global Research Association of Atsumi International Foundation, and Mongolia National University (Social Science/Asia Research) and sponsorship by Atsumi International Foundation, Showa Women’s University, Research Association of Mongolian History and Culture and Association for “Heritage of BARGA”. Ninety members of researchers and students participated.

 

The year of 2021 is the 110th Anniversary of National Foundation Day of Mongolia, the 100th Anniversary of the Mongolian Revolution and the 40th Anniversary of Democratization of Mongolia. And it is the 40th Anniversary of Reopening of Grant of Financial Aid from Japanese Government. When we look back on achievements of exchange between Japan and Mongolia for a hundred years and summarize present situation and problems of countries in East Asia, there is a special meaning which based on the relations between Japan and Mongolia.

 

We invited representative researchers from Japan, Mongolia and China. And we found and thought about new knowledges basing on historical records which were discovered newly and research results of academic societies from our friendship between Japan and Mongolia which surmounted “love and resentment” of history.

 

The Symposium started with the opening speech by Professor Sh. Egshig, National University of Mongolia (Asia Research Section, Social Science Division). We got congratulatory speeches from Ms. Junko Atsumi, Representative of Atsumi International Foundation, Sekiguchi Global Institute and Professor D. Zaya Baatar, Director of Social Science Department of National University of Mongolia. After their speeches, we had reports from researchers from Japan, Mongolia and China. Their names are: Ex-Japanese Ambassador SHIMIZU Takenori, Ex- Mongolian Ambassador to Cuba Ts. Batbayar, Honorable Professor NIKI Hiroshi Tokyo Foreign Language University, Professor D. Tsedev Uran Bator University, Professor MATSUKAWA Hitoshi of Ohtani University, Professor J. Urangua of National University of Mongolia, Director Mr. KUBOTA Shinichi, Japan-Mongolia Friendship Organization, Mr. B. Punsaldulam Chief Researcher of Research Center of Mongolian Academy for History and Anthropology. Ms. Imanishi was welcomed for participation after long time though it was online.
Mongolian newspaper “Soyombo” reported this symposium. In Japan, this symposium will be introduced in “Japan-Mongolia Academic Conference Bulletin” No. 52.

 

After the symposium, from September 9 to 20, I carried out on-site survey about “The Wall of Genghis Khan” in Dornod Province under the research project “Creation of the Base of International Joint Research for ‘The Wall of Genghis Khan’”. Members are Professor J. Urangua Department of Archaeology of National University of Mongolia, Professor U. Erdenebat, Professor Ch. Amatuvshin and Chairman Ts. Tumen of the Association of “Heritage of Barga”. We could get good results more than our expectations and I let you know the details later.

 

I would like to express my gratitude to Ms. ITO Yoriko, Embassy of Japan in Mongolia for giving me idea about PCR testing and others.

 

Photos from the symposium and research trip

 

SGRA Kawaraban 693 in Japanese (Original)

 

 

BORJIGIN Husel / Professor of Showa Women’s University (International Department)

 

Translated by Kazuo Kawamura
English checked by Sabina Koirala