Japan-China Relations
Japan-China Summit Meeting
October 31, 2025
(Photo: Cabinet Public Affairs Office)
(Photo: Cabinet Public Affairs Office)
On October 31 commencing at 5:05 p.m. for approximately 30 minutes, through simultaneous interpretation, Ms. TAKAICHI Sanae, Prime Minister of Japan, who is visiting Gyeongju in the Republic of Korea to attend the APEC Summit, held a summit meeting with Mr. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- President Xi expressed his congratulation to Prime Minister Takaichi on her appointment. The two leaders reaffirmed a broad direction of Japan-China relations to comprehensively promote a “Mutually Beneficial Relationship Based on Common Strategic Interests” and building “constructive and stable Japan-China relations”. On top of that, Prime Minister Takaichi raised with President Xi the importance of fulfilling the weighty responsibilities for ensuring peace and prosperity in the region and the international community.
Prime Minister Takaichi pointed out, precisely because there are concerns and issues between Japan and China, including on security and economic security, it is essential to reduce these concerns, increase mutual understanding and cooperation, and produce tangible achievements, while confirming the will to advance “Mutually Beneficial Relationship Based on Common Strategic Interests” between the two leaders.
The two leaders affirmed the importance of dialogue between the leaders themselves, and of multilayered communication across a wide range of fields between Japan and China. - The two leaders positively received the resumption of imports of Japanese aquatic products and confirmed that they would continue to steadily implement the "Shared Recognition between Japan and China" announced by both governments in September 2024. Prime Minister Takaichi called on China to facilitate imports of Japanese aquatic products.
Prime Minister Takaichi called for the promotion of relevant consultations to achieve the resumption of imports of Japanese beef and the prompt lifting of the remaining import restrictions on agricultural and aquatic products from 10 prefectures as soon as possible. The two leaders also concurred on seeking concrete cooperation in areas such as third-country market cooperation, green economy, as well as medical care, nursing care and healthcare. They also concurred to work together on global issues.
Prime Minister Takaichi expressed congratulations on the China Pavilion's Gold Prize at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. - Prime Minister Takaichi expressed Japan’s serious concerns over China's escalation and maritime survey activities in the East China Sea, including around the Senkaku Islands, and the intensification of Chinese military activities near Japan, and urged the Chinese side to address these issues. They also concurred on the importance of ensuring effective crisis management and communication between defense authorities.
Prime Minister Takaichi expressed serious concerns regarding China's export controls on rare earth. The two leaders affirmed that they would strengthen communication between relevant authorities, including the Japan-China Export Control Dialogue.
Prime Minister Takaichi demanded that the security of Japanese nationals be ensured and called for the early release of detained Japanese nationals, in light of the cases of Japanese nationals being attacked, and detained in China, for the sake of Japanese citizens who feel uneasy about staying in China.
Prime Minister Takaichi reiterated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait for the international community, including Japan. In addition, Prime Minister Takaichi once again expressed Japan’s serious concerns about the situations in the South China Sea, Hong Kong, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and others. - The two leaders also exchanged views on the situation regarding North Korea, including the abductions issue.