Chinese Foreign Minister may visit Japan for first time since 2020

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi may visit Japan in February 2025, Azernews reports.

This would be the first visit of a Chinese Foreign Minister to Japan since November 2020.

The agreement on the visit was reached during a meeting between Wang Yi and his Japanese counterpart, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, in Beijing on December 25. Following the meeting, the Japanese Foreign Ministry announced that "Wang Yi will visit Japan next year at the earliest appropriate time."

During Wang Yi's visit, it is expected that a high-level economic dialogue event will also take place. This could be an important step in strengthening economic and diplomatic ties between the two nations.

In recent months, China and Japan have been taking steps to stabilize bilateral relations. Notably, in late September, the two countries agreed to gradually resume the supply of Japanese seafood to the Chinese market. The trade had been suspended after Japan began discharging treated water from the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. This controversial move raised concerns in neighboring countries, including China, about potential environmental and health risks. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated that it will set up additional teams of specialists to monitor the radioactivity levels in the affected area, with some Chinese experts included in these teams. This collaboration has helped ease some of the tension surrounding the issue.

The resumption of trade and high-level diplomatic exchanges reflects a broader effort by both nations to overcome longstanding tensions and build a more stable and cooperative relationship. While issues such as historical disputes, territorial disagreements, and military competition continue to affect the bilateral relationship, both China and Japan seem to recognize the importance of dialogue, particularly in the areas of trade, regional security, and environmental cooperation.