Foreign Minister Iwaya to Visit China, Hold Talks with Chinese Counterpart by End of Year; Expected to Address Bilateral Goals, Sea Products Ban

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya

Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya is coordinating talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, in China by the end of the year or later, according to government sources. It will be first visit to the country by the Japanese Foreign Minister since then minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in April 2023.

They will likely confirm a “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests,” through which the interests of both Japan and China are pursued.

Iwaya is expected to ask China about resuming imports of Japanese marine products as soon as possible.

The Japan-China High-Level People-to-People and Cultural Exchange Dialogue, in which promotion of tourism, sports and youth exchanges are discussed, is scheduled to be held at the same time.