Young lawmakers belonging to the Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians' Union, a cross-party group in the Japanese Diet, are considering visiting China this month, according to reports by NHK and other media.

According to the reports, Hiroshi Moriyama, chairman of the union, revealed this to reporters today (the 3rd).

The group plans to subsequently form a delegation to coordinate specific schedules and dialogue partners with the Chinese side.

This push for a visit is interpreted as an effort to find a breakthrough in improving bilateral relations, which deteriorated following remarks made in November of last year by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hinting at intervention in the event of a contingency in Taiwan, utilizing parliamentary diplomacy.

A delegation of Japanese ruling and opposition lawmakers also visited China last month and met with Lu Kang, vice minister of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee.

According to Japanese media, lawmakers including Shinichi Isa, public relations chief of the Centrist Reform Alliance, and Hiroyuki Konishi, a House of Councillors member from the Constitutional Democratic Party, met with Vice Minister Lu in Beijing on the 27th of last month and proposed resuming youth and cultural exchanges between Japan and China.

However, Vice Minister Lu reportedly stated that unless there is a change in Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks hinting at intervention in a Taiwan contingency and her stance on Taiwan-related issues, "the Chinese government has no intention of changing its policy" toward Japan.

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