Japan Places Less Diplomatic Significance on China

Tokyo, April 10 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has downgraded China’s diplomatic significance amid worsening Tokyo-Beijing ties following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s “Taiwan contingency” remarks last November. The 2026 Diplomatic Bluebook, adopted at a cabinet meeting Friday, calls China “an important neighboring country,” compared with the description in the 2025 edition that the two countries had “one of the most important bilateral relationships.” China has escalated “unilateral criticism and coercive actions” against Japan since November, the latest annual report points out, citing, among others, Chinese Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian’s social media threat to “cut a dirty neck,” Chinese military aircraft’s radar illumination against Japanese Air Self-Defense Force planes and Beijing’s restriction on imports of dual-use goods from Japan. Japan, for its part, remains “open to dialogue with China,” the report notes. The view on ties with China was revised to reflect, in part, the Japanese prime minister’s hawkish parliamentary remarks on the country, a Foreign Ministry official said. The bluebook also mentions U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran, suggesting that the situation be calmed down early. “Peace and stability in the Middle East, including energy security, are extremely important for Japan,” it stresses. “(Japan) will exhaust all diplomatic efforts in cooperation with the international community.” Elsewhere in the report, Tokyo vows to “continue to build and deepen relations of trust” with the United States and to make currently smooth ties with South Korea, which it regards as “an important neighboring country,” stabler and forward-looking. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]