Prime Minister of Japan classifies China as an “important neighbor”

“ A China is an important neighbour and, despite the difficulties, we have built a lasting relationship over the years,” said Sanae Takaichi before the Diet, the Japanese parliament, quoted by the country’s media.

“ We will work to ensure communication on common challenges, promote dialogue to preserve our national interests and build a constructive and stable relationship,” Takaichi promised.

Nevertheless, Japan “will firmly affirm our country’s positions” and “will strongly demand responsible behaviour,” the government leader added.

Diplomatic relations between the Asian economic giants have gone through a particularly dark period since Takaichi suggested in November also in a speech before the parliament that Tokyo could intervene in the event of an attack on Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory.

The speech of the head of the Japanese Government takes place after a meeting on 28 September in Beijing between the head of Chinese diplomacy, Wang Yi, and a former Japanese Foreign Minister, Takeshi Iwaya, who led a trade delegation to the Chinese capital.

During the meeting, Wang stressed that relations between the two countries “need to return to normal” and urged Tokyo to correct its stance towards Taiwan.

In the economic field, Sanae Takaichi reaffirmed, without elaborating, his Government’s commitment to respond “flexibly” to the economy and markets, particularly nervous about the Prime Minister’s long-term public spending policy.

Despite unusually high approval rates, one year after taking office, Takaishi faces important economic challenges, including rising inflation, strong currency depreciation, and market concerns about Japan's growing debt and diplomatic dispute with China.

The head of the government also referred to the demographic decline in the country and undertook to formulate a comprehensive strategy by the end of the year to respond to a “national crisis that goes silently”.

The number of Japanese living in the country fell below 120 million for the first time in 42 years, according to official data released in July.

Today's speech began a parliamentary session that will last until December and where various bills will be debated, including plans to reduce food tax for two years to mitigate the impact of inflation on voters' daily lives.

The speech of the Prime Minister also included the commitment to support the International Criminal Court, after the United States imposed sanctions on the president of the court, the Japanese Tomoko Akane, in August.