A delegation of Japanese lawmakers left for China on Monday with the aim of patching up ties in the wake of comments about Taiwan by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that angered Beijing. Takaichi suggested in November that Japan could intervene militarily in any conflict over Taiwan, which Beijing insists is part of its territory. China warned its citizens against travel to Japan and imposed trade restrictions that have reportedly led to big drops in the supply of rare earth minerals to Japanese firms.
Monday’s delegation comprises a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and two opposition lawmakers, all from a cross-party group that seeks to foster ties with China. They are expected to meet with senior officials of the Chinese Communist Party, Japanese media reported, in the first such exchange since Takaichi’s comments. An official from LDP Lower House member Gaku Hashimoto’s office confirmed that he “departed (for Beijing) to stay for two days there.” The official declined to comment further.
Japan’s top diplomat said in July he “discussed bilateral relations” with his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of a regional foreign ministers’ meeting in Manila. Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesman later denied that a meeting took place. Hashimoto, the son of the late former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, held talks with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying in Beijing in June, Kyodo News reported last week.
At the time, he was the acting head of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade. The group’s new head, former Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, is expected to lead the group on a trip to China in late September, Kyodo reported. About 80 business representatives from the Kansai region also plan to visit China in late November to December, the news agency reported.
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