Announcement of Japan-China Survey Results Put Off Again

Beijing, Nov. 16 (Jiji Press)–Japanese private think tank Genron NPO has put off the announcement of the results of a Japan-China joint opinion poll, previously set for Monday, officials said Sunday. According to Genron NPO, its partner in the joint survey, the China International Communications Group, notified a postponement of the press conference on the results, citing the situation surrounding the two countries’ relations. This is the second time that the announcement of the latest survey results has been postponed at the request of the Chinese side. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently said that a contingency over Taiwan could constitute what Japan calls a survival-threatening situation, allowing the country to exercise its right to collective self-defense. This has angered Beijing. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has released a notice calling on the country’s citizens to avoid traveling to Japan, while the Education Ministry has warned people to think carefully if they plan to study in Japan. The survey results were originally scheduled to be released Nov. 4. However, the announcement was put off to Monday at the request of the Chinese side. Some speculate that the previous postponement may have been decided in response to Takaichi’s meeting with former Taiwanese Vice Premier Lin Hsin-i, the region’s envoy to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, in South Korea. Genron NPO and the China International Communications Group plan to hold a forum meeting of Japanese and Chinese intellectuals in Beijing from Nov. 22 to 24. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]