Lawmakers’ Alternative Diplomacy toward China

Embracing serious concern on abnormal economic relationship between Japan and China, some lawmakers in the Diet are making attempts for a breakthrough with their own diplomacy. Some lawmakers made their visit to China and had a meeting with Chinese officials in August. Anyway, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has made no meaningful effort to improve bilateral relations between Japan and China, which was exacerbated by her own comment in the Diet last November. 

After Takaichi said in the Diet that use of force around Taiwan would consist of survival threatening situation in which Japan would be able to use force, China recommended its citizens not to visit Japan. Chinese visitors to Japan declined by 60 percent in August 2026, compared to the same month in the previous year. China also effectively resumed banning sea products from Japan and embargoed rare earths after Takaichi’s comment.

 

While Takaichi insisted that she would never say that again and that Japan would be open to China, China has not softened its attitude toward Japan. China labeled Japan’s current developments in defense policy as “new militarism.” Takaichi refuses retracting her comment at the Diet, because her conservative supporters are satisfied with her comment and effort to take a strong position toward China.

 

Three lawmakers beyond party lines made a visit to China late August, trying to take an opportunity to rebuild bilateral diplomatic relations. They were Shin-ichi Isa who was affiliated to Central Reform Alliance, which was dissolved in early September, Gaku Hashimoto with Liberal Democratic Party and Yudai Kawamura with Komeito. They had a meeting in Beijing with Vice-minister of International Department of Central Committee of Chinese Communist Party, Lu Kang.

 

It was the first opportunity for Japanese lawmakers to visit China and had a meeting with highly ranked officer of Chinese government, since Takaichi made her speech on Taiwan contingency. Isa revealed in his press conference that Lu told them not to change their current policy toward Japan as long as Takaichi would maintain her comment and recognition on Taiwan. They also discussed resumption of cultural exchange and crucial minerals or concern on China’s activities in South and East China Sea.

Business sectors in Japan are also willing to visit China to make some diplomatic improvement. The Association for the Promotion of International Trade, Japan (JAPIT) plans to send a delegation to China late September. JAPIT is a private organization for promoting trade between Japan and China, economic exchange, business matching or credit check of Chinese company.

 

The delegation is expected to be led by LDP lawmaker and former minister for foreign affairs, Takeshi Iwaya. Iwaya assumed the president of JAPIT, succeeding the position from late former LDP president, Yohei Kono. Iwaya has kept certain distance from Takaichi’s policies. China’s invitation of Iwaya indicates its expectation for some change in policies by encouraging Iwaya to say something to Takaichi.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Takaichi Delivers Economic Order

At the starting point of her cabinet, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ordered her ministers to grapple with the issues that would be necessary for implementing her promises in the presidential election of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) or the coalition agreement with Japan Innovation Party (JIP). The first focus of Takaichi looked to be on economic policies.   On the first day of her cabinet, Takaichi sent out a letter to her ministers on October 22 nd . Takaichi demanded in the letter to strengthen Japanese economy by changing people’s concerns on their life or future into hope. It contained three issues to deal with: achieving a strong economy, defending people’s life in local communities and enhancement of diplomacy and defense.   To achieve strong economy, Takaichi proposed introduction of “investment of crisis management” and “responsible and active fiscal policy.” She  explained  investment of crisis management to be preemptive and strategic investment on various...
Read more

Takaichi and Lee Maintains Shuttle Diplomacy

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi   had a meeting   with the President of Republic of Korea (ROK), Lee Jae Myung, taking opportunity of participating in the summit meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) at Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 30 th . Both leaders reconfirmed maintenance of close bilateral relationship which they succeeded from their predecessors. Built in the trilateral security framework including the United States, both countries do not have a choice to confront each other on such issue as historical dispute. Since inauguration of Takaichi as the prime minister, it has been concerned that she would not be able to manage bilateral relationship with ROK. Takaichi identifies herself as a successor of former Prime Minitser Shinzo Abe, whose administration exacerbated Japan-ROK relationship to the worst level after those countries normalized their relations in 1956. Considering then ROK president, Moon Jae-in, is the political mentor of Lee, it has not been...
Read more

Sober Leaders of Japan and China Discuss Mutual Benefit

The Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, had her first meeting with the President of People’s Republic of China (PRC), Xi Jinping, in the backdrop of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit at Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 31 st . Both leaders agreed on maintaining a basic principle of their bilateral relations for years, called “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests.” However, it became a meeting without smile, reflecting their complicated relations these years. At the beginning of the meeting, Xi  told  Takaichi that he was ready for development of China-Japan relations on the right track. Takaichi replied that she hoped to reduce various issues between their countries and increase understandings and cooperation to achieve certain result. Takaichi insisted on developing personal relationship with Xi through dialogues. They  concurred  on building “constructive and stable Japan-China relations.”   Two leaders raised a lot...
Read more