Japan sent no congratulatory message for 100th anniversary

The government refrained from conveying congratulations to the Chinese Communist Party on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, but made a statement about the importance of “stable Japan-China relations.”

At a press conference on July 1, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said, “Stable Japan-China relations are important for the peace and prosperity of not only our two countries but also the region and the international community.” However, no congratulatory message was sent.

As China Coast Guard vessels have repeatedly entered Japanese waters around the Senkaku Islands and concerns grow in the international community over human rights issues in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the government thought that expressing its congratulations “could send the wrong signal” to Beijing, according to a senior Foreign Ministry official.

Japan-China relations began to improve under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and Chinese President Xi Jinping was scheduled to visit Japan as a state guest in spring last year, but the trip was postponed due to the coronavirus crisis.

Subsequently, the Suga Cabinet has aligned itself with the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden and has stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, which has been strongly opposed by China. As a result, Xi’s visit to Japan as a state guest is now uncertain.

However, next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China, and there are calls from the business community for improved relations with the Japan’s largest trading partner. (July 3)