National Security Agency Director Akiba meets with China's top diplomat to rebuild Japan-China relations
On the 17th, Director-General of the National Security Agency Takeo Akiba held talks with Yang Jiechi, director of the Communist Party's Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office in Tianjin, China. After discussing pending issues such as China's large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, the two leaders shared the view that "multilayered communication is important" between the two countries. The Japan-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting scheduled for the 4th was canceled just before the 4th over the situation in Taiwan, and it seems that the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China is approaching on September 29th, and that the two countries have rushed to rebuild relations. This is the first meeting between Yang and Japan's National Security Agency director in about two and a half years. The meeting lasted for a total of seven hours, including a working dinner. At the meeting, they shared the recognition that it is necessary for Japan and China to work together to build a “constructive and stable relationship,” which was confirmed in the 2021 Japan-China Summit Telephone Talks. They also confirmed the importance of face-to-face dialogue and continued dialogue. Akiba expressed concern over China's large-scale military exercises around Taiwan in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, and emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Regarding China's continued incursions into Japan's territorial waters around Okinawa Prefecture and the Senkaku Islands, he reiterated Japan's position that it cannot unilaterally change the status quo by force. They also exchanged views on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the situation in North Korea, which is advancing its nuclear and missile development. [Shihoko Abe]
