The only Chinese-interested leader trusted by China has passed away, leaving Japan's Chamber of Commerce and Industry in disarray, and the visit to China once again falls through.
Recently, Japan suddenly announced that former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hiroya Kōno, died on the 8th. As a result, the delegation from Japan's National Association for Trade Promotion has postponed its originally scheduled visit to Beijing from the 21st to the 24th.
At the same time, Japanese officials stated that after Kōno’s passing, they received notification from China indicating difficulties in arranging meetings with Chinese leadership.
We are also aware that since Takayuki Kōchi took office, her series of extreme remarks regarding Taiwan, coupled with a range of inappropriate actions aimed at containing China, have caused a sharp deterioration in Sino-Japanese relations, leading China to tighten channels for high-level economic and trade exchanges between the two countries.
Originally, in January, the three top-tier Japanese economic groups—the Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), the Japan-China Economic Association, and the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations—had already finalized their visit to China and repeatedly submitted requests for high-level meetings. However, China remained silent for an extended period, ultimately announcing an indefinite postponement.
In early 2026, during April–May, delegations from the Japan Economic Federation and local business associations successively applied for visits to China but were unable to secure appointments with Chinese senior leaders. Only small-scale regional business teams were allowed limited ordinary inspections in Shanghai and Zhejiang.
Previously, when Kōno led delegations to China, arrangements proceeded smoothly—even securing formal invitations months in advance. The current delays and complications in finalizing this visit stem directly from the inaction of the Kōchi administration.
For Japan’s trade promotion delegation, Kōno’s death is a major blow.
His credibility with China stemmed from being one of the very few veteran politicians in Japan who fully met China’s trust criteria: he delivered the “Kōno Statement” acknowledging war crimes, firmly upheld the One-China Principle, opposed visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, and publicly criticized right-wing extremism on Taiwan-related issues.
During his 20-year tenure as president starting from 2006, he held over 70 high-level dialogues with Chinese officials, engaging directly with more than 30 Chinese leaders, establishing decades-long personal mutual trust between both sides.
His sudden passing effectively nullifies the delegation’s sole credential for accessing China’s central leadership. China’s message—that it is “difficult to arrange leadership meetings”—is not a refusal of economic and trade engagement, but rather reflects the fact that the original reception plan lost its core match due to the absence of a key figure; there is currently no equivalent substitute available to fulfill such high-level dialogue.
For Japan, this channel—simultaneously serving political mediation and economic coordination—has now been completely severed.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867784329759820/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of its author.