On Tuesday, November 18th, Japanese and Chinese officials met in Beijing in an attempt to ease the escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries, but no progress was made. The Japanese side refused China’s request to retract Prime Minister Tanae Takamichi’s statement regarding Taiwan, reiterating that they will not withdraw the remarks. The Chinese side expressed dissatisfaction with the talks, stating that they were conducted in a serious manner.
The lack of substantial progress at the meeting led the Nikkei newspaper to comment that this indicates a possible prolonged standoff between the two sides.
The Chinese and Japanese officials who attended the meeting on Tuesday were Liu Jingsong, Director of the Asian Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Masaaki Kanai, Director of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to reports from Kyodo News, a Japanese Foreign Ministry source mentioned that Japan rejected Beijing’s demand to retract Prime Minister Takamichi’s remarks.
Furthermore, as reported by Nikkei, the Japanese Foreign Ministry stated that while Liu Jingsong requested the withdrawal of Takamichi’s statements, Masaaki Kanai reiterated Japan’s position that it is not necessary to do so. Kanai also strongly protested against inappropriate remarks made by the Chinese Consul General in Osaka, Xue Jian, during the meeting, referring to them as “extremely inappropriate,” and urged Beijing to take prompt appropriate measures.
Xue Jian had previously issued a “beheading” threat in response to Takamichi’s statement regarding Taiwan, causing a stir in Japan.
Following the meeting between Chinese and Japanese officials, when asked whether he was satisfied with the talks, Liu Jingsong bluntly stated, “Of course not!” When further questioned about the atmosphere of the meeting, Liu responded, “Serious.”
During a routine press conference on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning confirmed that during the meeting, China had urged Japan to retract Takamichi’s remarks.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara signaled on Tuesday that Japan has no intention of retracting the statements. Kihara stated at a press conference that these remarks “do not change the government’s existing position” and added that the government hopes issues concerning Taiwan can be peacefully resolved through dialogue.
The dispute began when Takamichi stated during a parliamentary inquiry on November 7th that if China were to attack Taiwan, it could pose a threat to Japan’s survival, potentially leading Japan to exercise its collective self-defense right. China promptly retaliated against Takamichi’s remarks.
This dispute has started to impact personnel exchanges, tourism, education, and entertainment between the two countries.
China issued a travel advisory urging Chinese citizens to “temporarily avoid traveling to Japan,” warning of significant risks if they do not comply. During the meeting on Tuesday, Masaaki Kanai protested against this move by China, refuting the content of the notice and stating that public safety in Japan has not deteriorated, while urging China to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens in China.
Official data shows that Chinese tourists account for nearly a quarter of visitors to Japan. According to Chinese state media, over ten Chinese airlines, including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, have offered refunds to passengers on flights to Japan, with refund deadlines set until December 31. Sichuan Airlines has temporarily suspended its operating plans for the Chengdu-Sapporo route to at least March next year.
Additionally, Chinese film distributors have halted the release of at least two Japanese films in China, including “Crayon Shin-chan: Burst Serving! Kung Fu Boys – Ramen Chaos” and “Cells at Work!”. China’s state broadcaster CCTV referred to this decision on Monday as a “prudent decision” made after evaluating domestic audience sentiment.
According to Reuters, Japan’s Minister for Economic Security, Kimi Onoda, stated during a press conference on Tuesday, “If we overly rely on a country that resorts to economic coercion as soon as it is unhappy, this not only poses risks to the supply chain but also to the tourism industry.”
“We need to recognize that it is dangerous to be economically dependent on a country that poses such risks,” she said in response to a question about China’s call for Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan.