Japanese lawmakers visit Beijing seeking to mend ties after fallout from Takaichi's Taiwan remark
TOKYO (AP) — A cross-party group of Japanese lawmakers headed to Beijing on Monday seeking to mend strained ties following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comment on Taiwan that angered China and led to tensions that have spilled over into the economy. The group, which includes Gaku Hashimoto, a lawmaker of Takaichi's governing Liberal Democratic Party and a former health and welfare vice…
A group of Japanese lawmakers, spanning multiple political parties, departed for Beijing on Monday in an effort to repair deteriorating relations with China. The visit comes in the wake of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's controversial remarks on Taiwan, which sparked diplomatic tensions and broad economic repercussions.
The delegation, comprising members from Takaichi's governing Liberal Democratic Party, the Komeito opposition party, and the Centrist Reform Alliance, will engage in discussions with Chinese Communist Party officials throughout their stay. According to Shinichi Isa, a spokesperson for the opposition party, the breakdown of communication across various sectors has already begun to manifest in multiple domains.
Takaichi's initial assertion that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, thereby warranting military intervention, has understandably provoked strong condemnation from Beijing. In the immediate aftermath of her comments, Shinichi Isa, a former Japanese diplomat stationed in China, expressed hope that the lawmakers' diplomatic efforts could pave the way for a resumption of dialogue between the two nations.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
