China presses Japan on Taiwan and wartime history during Beijing talks

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned that China-Japan relations faced a “severe situation” and had not yet returned to normal during talks with former Japanese foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya in Beijing. Iwaya was leading a 50-member delegation of corporate executives. Wang’s reception of the delegation was described in the supplied material as the highest-level reception for a Japanese visit in nearly a year.

Wang urged Tokyo to correct what Beijing considers erroneous statements and actions concerning Taiwan. He also criticised any attempt by Japan to challenge its post-war constitution or revise its account of wartime aggression. The talks came ahead of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 80th anniversary of the Tokyo Trials.

Wang said Japan should learn from historical lessons. Iwaya, who now heads the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade, acknowledged that the current relationship was worrying. He said the organisation would work to return ties to the principles of the four foundational China-Japan political documents.

Relations deteriorated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a Taiwan contingency could constitute a situation threatening Japan’s survival and permit a collective self-defence response. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of China. With official exchanges restricted, business and parliamentary delegations have kept channels open.

The latest mission followed a US-China summit in Washington that Japan watched with concern, according to the supplied report.