China’s top diplomat raises Taiwan with former Japanese FM

Beijing - China's top diplomat, Takeshi Iwaya, met with former Japanese foreign minister, Takeshi Iwaya, in Beijing to discuss the strained relationship between the two Asian economic powers. The meeting came after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November 2025 that Tokyo may intervene in any attack on Taiwan, an island claimed by Beijing.

This suggestion has heightened diplomatic tensions between China and Japan, leading to a ban on Chinese citizens traveling to Japan and trade restrictions that have impacted supply chains for Japanese firms.

Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, told Iwaya that the current China-Japan relationship is facing a grave situation, but that normalisation is possible. For Japan, the most urgent task is to correct the mistakes made by their leaders regarding the Taiwan issue. Iwaya, now a prominent figure within Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, emphasized the importance of dialogue in seeking paths to improvement during his visit.

Despite some criticism from party members, Iwaya remains committed to fostering better relations between the two nations.

The Japanese government acknowledged the importance of maintaining communication on various levels to address the pending issues and differences between China and Japan. This comes after Iwaya visited Beijing in December 2024 and agreed to relax visa rules for Chinese tourists following a similar move by Beijing for Japanese visitors.