Japan-China Friendship Delegation Meets with CCP Official, Likely Discussed Intrusion of Military Plane, Import Ban

By Koichiro Shigematsu / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

17:31 JST, August 28, 2024

BEIJING — Former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai and other lawmakers belonging to the Japan-China Parliamentary Friendship Association met with Zhao Leji, the third-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday morning.

The lawmakers and Zhao, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, are believed to have exchanged views on such issues as a Chinese military aircraft’s intrusion into Japan’s airspace. They are also thought to have discussed Beijing’s ban on imports of Japanese marine products following the release of treated water into the ocean from Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

“We need to show tangible progress on various issues and achieve concrete results in the area of cooperation,” Nikai said at the beginning of the meeting.

Zhao said China “is ready to promote the healthy and stable development” of bilateral relations.

Nikai also requested the early resumption of short-term visa waivers for Japanese nationals.