Japan lawmakers visit China seeking to patch up ties

A delegation of Japanese lawmakers left for China seeking to patch up ties in the wake of comments about Taiwan by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that angered Beijing.



Takaichi suggested in November 2025 that Japan could intervene militarily in any conflict over Taiwan, which Beijing insists is part of its territory.



China warned its citizens against travel to Japan and imposed trade restrictions that have reportedly led to big drops in supplies of rare earth minerals to Japanese firms.



The delegation comprises a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and two opposition lawmakers, all from a cross-party group that seeks to foster ties with China.



They were expected to meet senior officials of the Chinese Communist Party, Japanese media reported, in the first such exchange since Takaichi’s comments.