China asks Japan to rectify position on Taiwan to overcome crisis

Iwaya, president of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade, visits China in front of a business delegation.

Wang expressed, on Monday, the desire that the association encourage Tokyo to “take the right decision”, in an indirect reference to the statements of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who said in November 2025 that a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan could threaten Japan’s survival and justify an intervention by the Self-Defence Forces.

The declarations have made relations between the two countries worse.

“ Bilateral relations are in a serious situation again and need to return to normal,” Wang said, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The head of Chinese diplomacy stated that Japan is “urgent” to correct its words and actions on Taiwan, an island with an autonomous government whose sovereignty is claimed by Beijing.

Wang also highlighted the association as one of the civil organizations that, since the foundation, have worked to promote friendship between China and Japan.

Iwaya stated that the current situation of relations between Japan and China is “a cause of concern” and that the association will continue to work to ensure that bilateral ties return to the “original spirit”, according to the Chinese statement.

The delegation, composed of about 50 people, including business leaders, left for China on Sunday to contribute to the recovery of relations with the neighbouring country.

“ It is important to find a way to improve [relationships] through dialogue, especially when they are going through a difficult time,” Iwaya said to journalists at the airport before departure.

Following Takaichi's statements at the end of 2025, Beijing took several measures against Japan, including restrictions on exports of dual-use products and critical minerals, and recommended Chinese citizens to avoid travelling to the archipelago.