To improve relations… a Chinese military delegation makes a rare visit to Japan

Japan announced a rare visit by a Chinese military delegation this week, as the two neighboring countries seek to ease their fraught relations before Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Japanese government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said that members of the People’s Liberation Army leadership are meeting with their Japanese counterparts and high-level officials in the country from Monday to Friday.

This visit takes place after the Japanese and Chinese defense ministers met in November in Laos, on the sidelines of a regional defense forum, according to Hayashi.

Resuming talks between the military

“It is the first time in 5 years that military-to-military talks have resumed,” a Japanese government spokesman said during the regular briefing.

He explained, “Enhancing understanding and trust through frank communication at the leadership level would contribute to establishing constructive and stable relations between Japan and China.”

He said: “This visit contributes to peace and stability in the region,” without further details.

The Chinese army said in a statement, “This visit will contribute to enhancing mutual understanding and trust between the two parties, and discussions in the field of defense between China and Japan.”

The first visit of the Chinese president

Tokyo and Beijing are seeking to improve their relations, which have been marred for many years by old territorial disputes.

Japan is also seeking to persuade China to lift the ban on imports of Japanese seafood, which was adopted after Japanese authorities began releasing water stored at the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean.

Tokyo intends to invite the Chinese Foreign Minister to visit next month in preparation for a state visit by President Xi Jinping, according to what the Nikkei newspaper revealed last week.

Xi, who visited Japan on the occasion of the G20 summit in Osaka in 2019, has not made any state visit to Japan since assuming the presidency.