Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya is arranging talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Dec. 25, a Japanese government source close to the matter said Saturday, in what will be his first visit to the neighboring country as Japan’s top diplomat.
The visit will take place as Japan and China seek to explore ways to stabilize relations amid tensions over Beijing’s military assertiveness and other disputes. It also comes before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has vowed to continue pursuing “America First” policies, returns to the White House in January.
The last time a Japanese foreign minister traveled to China was in April of last year when Yoshimasa Hayashi made the trip.
Iwaya is planning on departing Japan on Dec. 24, but the date is subject to change depending on the extraordinary session of the Diet, which is due to close on Dec. 21.
Combined photo shows Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya (L) and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. (Kyodo)
During the envisioned meeting, Iwaya and Wang are expected to affirm China’s readiness to lift a ban on imports of Japanese seafood, which was imposed due to the discharge of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea.
North Korea’s ongoing missile and nuclear development, and its deepening military cooperation with Russia will also likely be on the agenda.
Culture minister Toshiko Abe is expected to accompany Iwaya for a possible high-level dialogue on Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges, the source said.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to foster “mutually beneficial” and “stable” relations in their first in-person talks in Lima last month, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
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