Wang Yi Urges Japan to Correct Taiwan Stance

Chinese diplomat Wang Yi met with Takeshi Iwaya, president of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade (JAPIT), in Beijing on September 28, 2026. During the meeting, Wang urged Japan to normalize bilateral ties and correct the "erroneous words and deeds" of Japanese leaders regarding Taiwan. Specifically, Beijing criticized Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for suggesting Japan would support the United States during a Taiwan emergency and characterized Japan's defense buildup as "neo-militarism."

Wang warned that Japan faces a "test of history" during the 80th anniversary of the Tokyo Trials. He asserted that Japan cannot build a future if it denies its history of aggression, glorifies war criminals, or challenges its post-war pacifist Constitution.

Takeshi Iwaya, leading a 50-member delegation, described the current state of Japan-China relations as "concerning." He pledged that JAPIT would work to return bilateral ties to the original intent of the four political documents between the two nations, citing the legacy of the late Yohei Kono. Iwaya added that Japanese politicians must remain committed to peaceful development and the lessons of the past.