China to Expand Visitor Cap for Visiting Japanese Business Delegation, Raising Hopes for a Breakthrough in Bilateral Ties

The Chinese government has notified Japan's Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), which plans to visit China next month, that it will increase the cap on the size of the delegation it can accommodate, Kyodo News reported on October 14.

According to sources familiar with China-Japan relations, Keidanren had originally prepared to send a working-level delegation of about five people centered around its secretariat to China in mid-next month, but recently received notice from the Chinese government that the quota would be expanded.

In response, Keidanren is reportedly planning to dispatch a delegation of about 20 people, including working-level personnel from member companies.

Kyodo noted that China's notification regarding the expansion of the delegation came immediately after former Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya visited China late last month leading a delegation from the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade, where he serves as chairman.

At the time, former Foreign Minister Iwaya held individual meetings with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

As it is known that China has notified the Keidanren side of expanding the delegation's scale, attention is focused on whether this will serve as a breakthrough for China-Japan relations, which have been frozen since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks hinting at intervention in a Taiwan contingency last November.

Kyodo pointed out that amid stalled intergovernmental dialogue, this visit and others could serve as an opportunity for the full-scale resumption of exchanges between the business communities of China and Japan.

Kyodo also reported that the Chinese Foreign Ministry's statement regarding the meeting between former Foreign Minister Iwaya and Foreign Minister Wang Yi used the phrase "correcting" erroneous words and deeds instead of the previous demand to "withdraw" Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks regarding Taiwan, fueling speculation that China's stance may have softened.

(Photo provided by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.