Japanese MPs travel to Beijing to restore dialogue after Taiwan comment sparks rift

A mixed Japanese delegation traveled to Beijing on Monday, marking the first high-level contact since relations deteriorated after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comment on Taiwan. The party includes Liberal Democratic Party member Gaku Hashimoto, a former health and welfare vice minister, and legislators from the opposition Komeito and the Centrist Reform Alliance. They are scheduled to meet Chinese Communist Party officials through Thursday, aiming to re-establish diplomatic links that Shinichi Isa says have been entirely severed.

Takaichi had warned that a Chinese assault on Taiwan would constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, prompting Beijing to label the remark a red-line violation. While she has not retracted the statement, she chose a remote prayer over a visit to the contentious Yasukuni Shrine during the WWII surrender anniversary. The delegation hopes the talks will provide a “window for dialogue” and ease the economic and political fallout from the dispute.