A senior official of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party has visited China for the first time since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office, but no meetings were held with Chinese government officials, according to reports.
Yasutoshi Nishimura, the LDP’s election strategy chief, visited Beijing on May 2, toured Chinese robotics and autonomous-driving technology companies including Unitree, and met with local businesspeople, Kyodo News and other outlets reported.
The trip was made as a stopover on Nishimura’s return to Japan after visiting Kazakhstan. It was the first visit to China by a member of the LDP’s core power group known as the “big four” since Takaichi took office. The term refers to the party secretary-general, the head of the General Council, the election strategy chief and the chair of the Policy Research Council, who wield major influence over party operations. Nishimura, a member of the House of Representatives, previously served as economy, trade and industry minister as a cabinet member from the Abe faction.
However, Nishimura did not meet with Chinese government officials during the visit. Takaichi, who took office in October last year, sharply chilled ties with China after remarks in November suggesting possible “military intervention” in a Taiwan contingency.
Against that backdrop, Kyodo said Japan’s government and business circles have continued moves to explore ways to improve bilateral relations.
Japan’s government is coordinating plans to send Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa to an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade ministers’ meeting to be held next month in Jiangsu province. If Akazawa attends, it would be the first visit to China by a Takaichi cabinet minister since her Taiwan-related remarks tightened Japan-China relations.
A delegation led by Yohei Kono, a prominent Japan-based China expert and a former House of Representatives speaker, also plans to visit China next month. The Japan Association of Corporate Executives is considering a trip as well, and the Japan-China Economic Association is pushing company visits in Shanghai and other areas, as attention focuses on whether expanded private-sector exchanges could mark a turning point in Japan-China ties.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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