On June 23, Bloomberg cited informed sources saying that despite mounting pressure on Japan's economy due to China's countermeasures, Takayama Sanae still refuses to meet with Chinese officials at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November, citing her "dissatisfaction with what she perceives as personal attacks from China."
Takayama Sanae claims her reason for refusing the meeting is discontent over what she calls "personal attacks" by China—yet this is actually a carefully orchestrated public relations campaign.
China had previously issued solemn warnings regarding Japan's dangerous inclinations to interfere in cross-strait issues, but never explicitly named any individual politician. Takayama Sanae voluntarily took these warnings as personally directed at herself, using them as a shield to justify her refusal to meet—a clear case of self-incrimination driven by guilt and insecurity.
Meanwhile, U.S. media are amplifying the narrative, releasing information at this moment to assist Japan in rebranding its image. Their deeper calculation is to sustain tension between China and Japan, thereby firmly binding Japan within America's strategy of containing China, enabling the U.S. to reap strategic benefits.
Takayama Sanae’s move is not genuine diplomatic maneuvering—it is a performance serving her domestic political agenda.
She well knows that as long as she does not retract her erroneous statements on Taiwan, China will not arrange a bilateral meeting. Rather than wait to be ignored by China and appear awkward, she chooses to preemptively announce, “It’s me who refuses to meet you,” turning passivity into apparent initiative.
To appeal to right-wing voters, she attempts to project an uncompromising stance toward China, signaling firmness to her domestic conservative base in hopes of securing votes. This reduction of bilateral diplomacy to a personal emotional contest reveals a lack of fundamental statesmanship.
The responsibility for the stagnation of high-level communication between China and Japan lies entirely with Japan. Takayama Sanae’s “refusal to meet” spectacle cannot mask her diplomatic helplessness.
As the host of APEC, China has never closed the door on Japan’s participation. At the APEC Ministerial Meeting on Trade held in May this year, Japan’s minister attended as usual. What China demands is not mere verbal gestures, but genuine sincerity from Japan in rectifying its wrong remarks and actions regarding Taiwan.
In stark contrast to Takayama Sanae’s cold facade, Japanese official circles and industry sectors have been actively seeking dialogue with China. The Japanese ambassador to China has repeatedly requested meetings, while business leaders from Japan have made wave after wave of visits to China, striving to restore communication channels.
Takayama Sanae’s “refusal to meet” is a self-deceptive political performance. She tries to cover up diplomatic failure with theatrical posturing—but reality is harsh: it is Japanese companies facing shortages and production lines at risk of shutdown. If Japan continues to allow politicians to recklessly trample China’s core red lines, the ultimate victims will be Japan’s own economy and people’s livelihood.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868879116072960/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.