Tokyo, Oct. 1 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to cautiously explore ways to improve relations with China, after former Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and other senior Beijing officials during a recent trip to China. While some view China’s warm reception of Iwaya as a good sign, others see it as an attempt by Beijing to unsettle the government of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Tokyo is set to closely monitor China’s next moves. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara declined to discuss the former top diplomat’s trip at a press conference Wednesday, saying he would refrain from commenting on each and every move by a private-sector economic organization. Iwaya visited the Asian neighbor as head of Japan’s Association for the Promotion of International Trade. Kihara added that “multilayered communication is important, especially because there are outstanding issues and differences of opinion” between the two countries. In Beijing, Iwaya met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday and He on Tuesday. Wang told Iwaya that Japan-China relations need to be normalized. Wang and He are members of the Chinese Communist Party’s Political Bureau, or Politburo, which comprises over 20 top-ranking party officials. Wang oversees foreign affairs, while He oversees economic policy. The Association for the Promotion of International Trade has held meetings with Chinese leaders on numerous occasions, but a veteran member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party who favors close ties with China said that Iwaya was given “exceptional treatment” during the latest trip. The Chinese government strongly objected to Takaichi’s parliamentary remarks last November regarding a possible Taiwan contingency, and bilateral relations have remained strained since then. A senior Japanese government official described China’s treatment of Iwaya as a sign that ties are “gradually improving,” while a senior Foreign Ministry official said that Beijing “likely wants to maintain ties on the economic front.” Japan, for its part, is also eager to improve ties with China, partly to secure supplies of critical minerals. The Japanese government will seek to arrange a meeting between Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the occasion of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to be held in China next month. While China has previously urged Takaichi to withdraw her Taiwan contingency remarks, Wang instead used wording calling for “correction” in his meeting with Iwaya. Tokyo will assess whether this indicates a change in China’s stance. Meanwhile, a Japanese government source suggested that Beijing may be “seeking to sow division” in Japan through its generous treatment of Iwaya, who served as foreign minister under the previous prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, and has kept a certain distance from the Takaichi administration. Some Japanese officials also see China as seeking to test Japan’s response or keep Tokyo in check ahead of the APEC summit. Iwaya visited China strictly in his capacity as head of the Association for the Promotion of International Trade. A senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official stressed that “the two governments have not moved closer.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
