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Japan-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Overview)

September 26, 2012
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

　On Tuesday, September 25 (local time), Mr. Koichiro Gemba, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who was visiting New York, to attend the United Nations General Assembly, held a Japan-China foreign ministers’ meeting with Dr. Yang Jiechi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, for approximately one hour from 7:30 pm. Japanese officials who were also in attendance included Mr. Akitaka Saiki, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Shinsuke Sugiyama, Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau. Chinese officials who were in attendance included Li Baodong, Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations, and Mr. Luo Zhaohui, Director-General, Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. An overview of the meeting is as follows:

  1. 1. Dr. Yang expressed his pleasure at meeting Minister Gemba again and subsequently stated China’s own assertions concerning the recent situation surrounding the Senkaku Islands..


  2. 2. In response to this, Minister Gemba stated that in light of historical facts and based up on international law, the Senkaku Islands have been an inherent part of the territory of Japan. He explicitly stated that there is no territorial issue to be resolved concerning the Senkaku Islands. Moreover, Minister Gemba explained that he could not accept China’s own assertions concerning the islandsasked for the appropriate actions of the Chinese government to the anti-Japan demonstrations that have occurred in a number of locations throughout China, inflicting damages on Japanese businesses. Minister Gemba added that, whatever the reason behind it, there is no justification for resorting to violence, and strongly urged the Chinese side to exercise restraint.


  3. 3. Furthermore, Minister Gemba provided a basic outline of Japan’s views concerning the relationship between Japan and China. He explained that the relationship between the two countries is one of the most important bilateral relationships for Japan and that expansion of cooperative relations between Japan and China would benefit both sides.


  4. 4. Subsequently, Minister Gemba noted the communication between Mr. Chikao Kawai, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Mr. Zhang Zhijun, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, and expressed his intention to strengthen such communication at the director-general level as well. Finally, both sides agreed on the need to continue to exchange opinions and to strengthen communication between diplomatic officials at the working level, in particular.
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