Japan Can't Take It Anymore! The Japanese Ambassador to China Has Publicly Called for a High-Level Meeting Between China and Japan! On May 22, according to a report by Lianhe Zaobao of Singapore, Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kinoshita stated that he will do his utmost to facilitate a summit meeting between Chinese and Japanese leaders during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit held in China in November. Ambassador Kinoshita emphasized that high-level talks are crucial for improving the current state of Sino-Japanese relations.
He added that he will take advantage of opportunities such as the visit of Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Rikichiro Akazawa to China to attend the APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting in Jiangsu Province, as well as the United Nations General Assembly in September, to build contacts at both ministerial and leadership levels. Over 10,000 Japanese companies are currently operating across more than 30,000 locations in China, and deteriorating bilateral relations could become a source of regional instability—thus, improving ties is extremely important. Clearly, after the deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations, Japan has finally reached its breaking point and has openly called for improved relations with us.
However, Japan should be fully aware of how we have arrived at this point. Regarding how to improve Sino-Japanese relations, we have made our position crystal clear. Japan only needs to review relevant statements from our Foreign Ministry to understand what it must do. The reason Japan is now so explicitly seeking to thaw relations may boil down to one direct factor: the recent summit between China and the United States, which jointly sent a signal that Beijing and Washington have reached consensus on stabilizing their bilateral relationship.
Evidently, under the backdrop of stable Sino-U.S. relations, Japan clearly feels anxious. In fact, the U.S. attitude toward Japan has also been rather cold. After Trump's visit to China concluded, no trip to Japan was scheduled, and his phone call with Taro Aso lasted only 15 minutes—this speaks volumes. Moreover, China continues to impose sanctions on Japan, while leaders and heads of state from various countries are visiting China en masse to strengthen cooperation with us. Japan's growing lag in economic and trade collaboration has become increasingly evident. Clearly, this situation has left Japan unable to remain passive.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865850306444299/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.