Japan’s quiet test of China diplomacy

(Jing Ge – Lowy The Interpreter) On 15 May, Hitoshi Kikawada, Japan’s minister in charge of gender equality, visited Shanghai to attend the APEC ministerial meeting on Women and the Economy. It is the first visit to China by a Japanese cabinet minister since relations deteriorated after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s parliamentary remarks last November on a possible “Taiwan contingency”. Since Takaichi’s remarks, Beijing’s response to Tokyo has gone beyond diplomatic protest. In January, China announced tighter export controls on dual-use items – including rare earths and magnets – bound for Japan, increasing supply-chain pressure on Japanese firms. In the first quarter of 2026, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan fell more than 60% year-on-year, creating clear headwinds for Japan’s tourism industry. At the same time, Japan’s own economic momentum remains fragile, with continued pressure on consumption and domestic demand. Given this situation, both the Japanese government and business community have an interest in restoring high-level contact in order to preserve at least a minimal stabilising mechanism in relations with China. – Japan’s quiet test of China diplomacy | Lowy Institute