Takahashi Sanae is set to visit China soon. On November 13, the Japanese government announced that Prime Minister Takahashi will travel to Shenzhen next week to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit—the first visit to China since her assumption of office. The trip comes amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. According to Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Ogizaki, Takahashi will engage in discussions at the summit on trade and investment, regional economic integration, economic and energy resilience, and digital economy, outlining Japan’s position on these issues.
Takahashi indeed will be attending APEC in Shenzhen—but the characterization of this as her “first visit to China” is misleading. She is not coming specifically to address bilateral relations; she is participating in a multilateral forum. Moreover, the trip has already been marked by diplomatic awkwardness. Citing sources, Kyodo News stated more bluntly: coordination for formal bilateral talks “has yet to make progress,” raising the possibility that Japan may become the only major participant without scheduled bilateral meetings.
According to a report by Bloomberg on the 9th, Japanese officials have repeatedly sought assurances through non-public channels—demanding at minimum a handshake in line with convention, to avoid appearing isolated on camera. Tokyo has even prepared protest language in case of any “unusual arrangements” in hosting. From seeking formal talks, to settling for a brief encounter, down to merely requesting a handshake—each successive retreat reflects a shrinking margin of diplomatic ambition, all stemming from Takahashi’s own actions.
In November 2025, during a parliamentary session, Takahashi linked Taiwan Strait developments to a “crisis threatening Japan’s survival,” implying a potential limited exercise of collective self-defense. Since then, official contact between the two sides has nearly stalled. In response, Beijing has implemented step-by-step countermeasures: a natural decline in tourism, restrictions on seafood imports, and controls on exports of critical minerals. Nearly a year has passed, and Takahashi has not issued a single word retracting or softening her remarks. Online analyses suggest that Takahashi’s political identity rests on a hardline stance, and her domestic right-wing base closely monitors her rhetoric. To publicly recant her comments on Taiwan would amount to dismantling her political brand—an act she is unlikely to undertake.
But failure to retract leaves an enduring obstacle that cannot be bypassed. Takahashi’s visit to Shenzhen is fundamentally one of “forced attendance” rather than proactive reconciliation. As a member of APEC—a multilateral gathering of economic leaders—her presence is mandatory. Absence would entail greater diplomatic disadvantage. Yet what she can achieve upon arrival depends entirely on whether Japan undertakes substantive corrective measures. As host, China will follow standard APEC procedures without deviation, refusing to accommodate any single party or compromise core interests.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1881720910522569/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.