China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, and Takeo Akiba, Japan’s chief national security adviser, held marathon talks in Beijing on Monday and agreed to maintain dialogue at various levels, including between their leaders, Akiba told reporters.
Their meeting was intended to lay the groundwork for the first summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who took office on Oct. 1, and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of an international gathering to be held in South America later this month, according to Japanese government sources.
After the talks, which lasted for four and a half hours, Akiba said the two sides shared the view that they will promote “strategic and mutually beneficial ties” and a “constructive and stable relationship.”
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi (R), and Takeo Akiba, Japan’s chief national security adviser, shake hands in Beijing on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the National Security Secretariat)(Kyodo)
Ishiba is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit from Nov. 15 to 16 in Peru and the Group of 20 leaders meeting from Nov. 18 to 19 in Brazil.
Akiba said he clearly conveyed to Wang Japan’s positions over a host of issues that have strained bilateral ties, including the resumption of Japanese marine product shipments to China and measures to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals living in China.
The two countries agreed in September that China will gradually lift its ban on seafood imports from Japan, which was imposed after the release of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the sea began in August 2023.
Tokyo has strongly urged Beijing to take steps to ensure the safety of expatriates following stabbing incidents in Suzhou and Shenzhen earlier this year, during which a Japanese mother and a child were injured, and a Japanese schoolboy was killed, respectively.
The top Japanese national security official also said he discussed with Wang situations surrounding the Korean Peninsula and expressed Tokyo’s “serious concern” over deepening cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. North Korean troops have been dispatched to Russia to aid its war against Ukraine.
Akiba, head of Japan’s National Security Secretariat, and Wang held phone talks on Oct. 21.
He also visited the Chinese capital in November last year to meet Wang and finalize arrangements for a meeting between then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Ishiba’s predecessor, and Xi in San Francisco later that month.
Related coverage:
Japan’s new top diplomat agrees with China to build stable ties
