Chronologies

Japan - China

Chronology from Jan 2024 to May 2024


: 400;">:  LDP Secretary General Motegi Toshimitsu and Liu Jianchao, head of the CCP’s International Liaison Department, agree to restart a forum for exchange between the Japanese and Chinese ruling parties suspended after 2018. 

: 400;">: Citing unnamed diplomatic sources, Yomiuri reports that Japan refused to agree to China’s demand that the trilateral summit’s joint declaration include the term “industrial chains” as an area in which to strengthen cooperation, believing that the expression reflects China’s attempt to dominate the global market in key industrial sectors. 

: 400;">: Meeting with Kishida in Tokyo, Liu Jianchao, head of the CCP’s international department, admonishes Japan to abide by the “one China principle” and “earnestly” maintain a political foundation for its bilateral relations with China.

: 400;">: Slowdown in China’s economy is affecting Japanese retail giant Uniqlo, with its parent company Fast Retailing announcing that it was cutting back its plans to open 80 new stores to 55. It may shut some locations and do more with ecommerce and livestream commerce, the latter becoming an increasingly popular form of shopping on Chinese social media apps. 

: 400;">: ASDF fighters are scrambled when a Chinese military reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the W-10 flies into Japan’s Air Defense Identification Zone over the East China Sea. The drone did not intrude into Japanese territorial airspace. Four types of Chinese UAVs have been making flights but this is the first time a WL-10 has been confirmed.

: 400;">: Marking the 158th consecutive day since Dec. 22, 2023 that Chinese coast guard vessels have entered Japan’s contiguous waters, the longest period on record, four vessels sail inside Japan’s contiguous zone approximately 22 km outside its territorial waters. 

: 400;">: Trilateral summit pledged that China, Japan, and Korea would cooperate on: people-to-people exchanges; sustainable development including through climate change response; economic cooperation and trade; public health and aging societies; science, technology and digital transformation; and disaster relief and safety. 

: 400;">: GSDF holds the Fuji Firepower Exercise 2024, its largest-scale annual live ammunition drill, in which 2,100 personnel practice responses against unnamed enemy forces landing on a remote Japanese island.

: 400;">: During a meeting of a consultative expert group set up by the two governments China demands that Japan expand the scope of its environmental assessment around the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. 

: 400;">: Speaking with Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of a trilateral summit in Seoul, Kishida asks for an immediate lifting of its ban on Japanese seafood products and conveys Japan’s “serious concern” over China’s recent military expansion, emphasizing that Tokyo believes stability in the Taiwan Strait is “crucial” not only for the region but also for the international community. 

: 400;">: An editorial in Asahi, normally sympathetic to China, states “Beijing’s saber-rattling in a belligerent reaction to the newly inaugurated Taiwanese president’s speech is completely off the rails. 

: 400;">: Unnamed diplomats interviewed by Reuters have low expectations that the first trilateral summit among China, Japan, and South Korea and hosted by Seoul can go beyond surface-level cordiality, though two anonymous Japanese foreign ministry officials said that the resumption of the summit after a long gap—since 2019—was important for optics. 

: 400;">: Meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Tokyo, Kishida expresses willingness to strengthen bilateral cooperation on maritime security in view of China’s hegemonic moves in the South China Sea. 

: 400;">: Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa’s strong protest against Chinese ambassador’s (see above May 21) remark that “the Japanese people will be dragged into the flames if Japan gets involved in any attempt to divide China” is widely reported in both Japanese and international media. 

: 400;">: Yomiuri reports that Taiwan’s newly inaugurated President Lai Ching-te showed the importance he places on Japan on Monday by lunching with a Japanese nonpartisan group and meeting with various other guests from Japan immediately after taking office. 

: 400;">: Asahi editorializes that Xi Jinping rethink his aggressive, unyielding policy toward Taiwan, which lacks tolerance and flexibility, in light of the mutual benefits.

: 400;">: Ambassador to China Kanasugi Kenji holds talks with Anhui Gov. Wang Qingxian during his visit to the province, expressing hopes of enhancing the two countries’ ties in culture and youth exchange as well as improving the business environment for Japanese-affiliated companies and increasing flows of people. 

: 400;">: According to a Japanese source based in China, about 60 governors and mayors in Japan visited China in the Japanese fiscal year that ended in March. China visits by prefectural and municipal heads became active around last July and are expected to remain robust.

: 400;">: Jiji reports that while state-level exchanges remain almost halted local government leaders of Japan and China are actively  interacting with each other. 

: 400;">: Hoping to increase Japan’s cyber defense capabilities to a level on par with North American and European countries by authorizing the government to access an attacker’s server to neutralize their attack as well as other actions, the LDP begins discussions on enabling the government to conduct active cyber defense.

: 400;">: US State Department officer is reported to be deployed to the embassy in Tokyo to monitor problematic behavior of China and consider countermeasures. 

: 400;">: Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence (HKMCD) will be converted into the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance & Coastal Defence on Sept. 3,the date marking victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). 

: 400;">: To encourage enlistment, the MSDF will be providing global internet access to its personnel while deployed at sea. Previously, limited satellite connection times restricted crew members to sending or receiving emails, with pre-approved contacts only, twice a day for brief periods.

: 400;">: Although Yonaguni Island’s 1,500 residents voted in favor of hosting an SDF base in 2015 Ambassador Rahm Emanuel’s visit to the island—the first US ambassador to do so—arouses concerns on plans to expand the base and deploy surface-to-air missiles as a deterrent to any Chinese designs on Japan’s vulnerable outlying islands. 

: 400;">: Yuan Keqin, a Chinese national who taught at Hokkaido University of Education until detained by China in 2019, is sentenced to six years in prison for violating the PRC’s anti-espionage law.

: 400;">: Cabinet office discloses that Japan’s economy shrank at an annualized rate of 2%, or 0.5% on a nonannualized basis, in January-March in inflation-adjusted real terms, the first drop in two quarters. 

: 400;">: Yomiuri editorializes against the SDFs’ inadequate security, which allowed a drone to intrude into a military base and take aerial footage close to the deck of a destroyer. 

: 400;">: Reports state that Japanese government will send the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) and coast guard to the Marshall Islands to help improve its coast guard’s capabilities through joint drills and other activities. 

: 400;">: Japanese intelligence agency obtains a document from a Shanghai-based tech company with ties to the Chinese government that it suspects of developing a system to manipulate public opinion via accounts on the X social media platform, believing that it is connected with China’s activities to manipulate public opinion overseas. 

: 400;">: With multipartisan support, the Diet approves legislation restricting access to economic security information will require government officials, company employees and others to undergo background checks to obtain government clearance to handle sensitive information with leaks punishable by up to five years in prison or a maximum fine of 5 million yen. 

: 400;">: Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa announces with no further details the government’s intention to set up an expert panel to begin full-fledged deliberations on the introduction of “active cyber defense” to prevent serious cyber-attacks by infiltrating the attacking party’s servers.

: 400;">: Chinese milk tea brand Xiang Piao Piao sees a 400% surge on its live streaming sales in China after a netizen discovered that MECO fruit tea, a Xiang Piao Piao brand, sells products in a store in Japan with slogans on their cup sleeves showing “the ocean is not Japan’s sewer” and “0.1% of the land pollutes 70% of the ocean.” 

: 400;">: A joint statement by the defense chiefs of Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and the US in Honolulu expresses serious concern over China’s “repeated obstruction of … freedom of navigation” in the South China Sea. 

: 400;">: Aimed at reining in China’s aggressive maritime expansion, the Japanese government announces it will provide Sri Lanka with a vessel and sonar system worth about ¥1 billion ($6.6 million). 

: 400;">: South China Morning Post describes Foreign Minister Kamikawa’s 10-day tour to Madagascar, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Nepal as Japan selling itself as Global South’s China counterweight. 

: 400;">: Defense chiefs from the US, Australia, Japan, and the Philippines meet in Hawaii for their second-ever joint meeting and vowed to deepen cooperation amid concerns about China’s operations in the South China Sea. The meeting comes after the four countries last month held their first joint naval exercises in the South China Sea.

: 400;">: Prime Minister Kishida sends a video message to a meeting of people in favor of revising the constitution on the Constitution Day holiday, saying that “amending the constitution is increasingly becoming an imminent and important issue.” Yomiuri editorializes in favor of the revision, saying that in light of the “extremely deteriorated security environment, in-depth discussions of Article 9 are also essential” and citing the paper’s survey indicating that 63% of respondents were positive about constitutional revision. Asahi opposes revision, saying that although preparing for security emergencies is obviously important protecting values such as the freedom and human rights advocated by the constitution, and preventing war should be the foremost priority. 

: 400;">: On April 29, a day after the Chinese government lodges a protest against Japanese lawmakers including former Defense Minister Inada Tomomi allegedly landing on one of the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands, the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration declared an area of the East China Sea off limits to traffic from May 1-9 for military activities, and on May 1 the PRC’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, began its first sea trials. 

: 400;">: Foreign Minister Kamikawa begins a visit to five countries in Africa and Asia (Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and Nepal) to strengthen bilateral ties as China increases its presence in these regions. 

: 400;">: Japan’s seafood exports to China in fiscal 2023 fall 57% due to China’s ban, reaching their lowest level since comparable data became available in fiscal 1988. 

: 400;">: China lodges solemn representations to Japan after five Japanese lawmakers reportedly trespassed into waters near the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands for a maritime inspection. 

: 400;">: An environmental survey of the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands and the surrounding waters is conducted by the municipal government in Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, was forced to halt due to a Chinese Coast Guard vessel approaching within 1 kilometer. 

: 400;">: Asahi editorializes that Japan-China ties are being hurt by the disappearances of Chinese scholars Fan Yuntao and Hu Shiyun deeming the Chinese foreign ministry’s response that it “did not have a grasp of the situation” unacceptable. 

: 400;">: Chinese media describe Japanese companies and industry groups as optimistic about the potential of the Chinese market for new opportunities, particularly its new-energy vehicle industry, robotics, health care, and eldercare. 

: 400;">: China Military Online accuses Japan of “false narratives.” 

: 400;">: According to a survey conducted by Yomiuri in February and March, 84% of respondents feel that Japan is in a threatening security environment. Respondents who considered China a threat rose to 91%, up five percentage points from last year’s survey. 

: 400;">: Descendants of 18 Chinese “comfort women” who were sexually exploited by Japanese soldiers during World War II file lawsuits in the Shanxi High People’s Court against the Japanese government. 

: 400;">: Bloomberg reports that Japanese brands are poised to take advantage of electric-vehicle demand in North America as US protectionism and security fears stymie the overseas expansion of Chinese names like BYD and SAIC. 

: 400;">: Asia University discloses that Professor Fan Yuntao, a Chinese national who specializes in international law and political science, has been unreachable since returning to China in February 2023 on leave. 

: 400;">: In his capacity as prime minister, Kishida donates ritual masakaki sprigs to the Yasukuni Shrine on the first day of its spring festival, but does not attend himself. 

: 400;">: Global Times describes Japan’s latest Diplomatic Blue Book as following the cliché of smears against China by playing up the so-called China threat and interfering in China’s internal affairs. 

: 400;">: Writing in Foreign Affairs, former special adviser to then-prime minister Abe Shinzo speaks of Japan’s “China Reckoning,” noting that policies aimed at bolstering Japan’s defense capabilities and expanding its alliance networks have become broadly popular. 

: 400;">: Foreign Minister Kamikawa announces the publication of Japan’s 67th Diplomatic Bluebook which, she says, focuses on the rule of law and human dignity, taking into account the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East. 

: 400;">: Yomiuri editorializes in favor of close security cooperation among Japan, the US, and the Philippines to deter China’s dangerous actions. It argues that provocative behavior of China Coast Guard vessels is especially reckless and could lead to a military clash. 

: 400;">: Aiming to reduce their reliance on China for critical minerals, Japan, the US and the Philippines agree to a framework for a stable supply of nickel under which resource-rich countries and high-consumption countries in Europe, Africa and other regions work together to share information and invest in developing critical minerals. 

: 400;">: Addressing a joint session of the US congress, Kishida states that “China’s current external stance and military actions present an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge, not only to the peace and security of Japan but to the peace and stability of the international community at large.” 

: 400;">“Defense industry cooperation between Japan and the United States, as well as with like-minded countries, are extremely important,” Kishida says in an interview with selected foreign media at the Prime Minister’s Office. 

: 400;">: Japan’s industry ministry approves subsidies up to 590 billion yen ($3.9 billion) for chip foundry venture Rapidus as Tokyo pushes forward with plans to rebuild the country’s chip manufacturing base amid concerns over supply chain security. 

: 400;">: Japanese government designates 16 airports and ports in seven prefectures where the SDFs and the coast guard will be granted peacetime use, as part of efforts to boost the country’s defenses. 

: 400;">: With an eye on China, the US and Japanese governments are working out subsidy rules for strategic goods such as semiconductors, storage batteries and permanent magnets. 

: 400;">: According to Japan’s Coast Guard, two Chinese Coast guard ships stay in Japanese waters near the contested Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands for more than two days before leaving on the 30th

: 400;">: in response to China’s growing naval presence in the South China Sea, Japan plans to take part in a joint training exercise with the United States and the Philippines. 

: 400;">: Nikkei comments on the new GDF unit that became operational in March with the mission of electronic combat intercepting enemy communications and jamming radar. 

: 400;">: Nikkei commentator Akita Hiroyuki, referencing the confrontation between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the South China Sea as well as increased maritime pressures against Malaysia and Vietnam and in the East China Sea against Japan, argues that he strategy of making concessions to China on territorial and other sovereignty issues will never work. 

: 400;">: Xinhua takes note of the record-high 2024 Japanese defense budget of about $52.53 billion and its focus on enhancing the country’s counterstrike capabilities and strengthening missile defense systems. 

: 400;">: Air Self-Defense Force scrambles fighters after a Chinese WZ-7 reconnaissance drone flies over the Sea of Japan for the first time though does not intrude into Japanese territorial airspace. 

: 400;">: Chinese foreign ministry expresses grave concern over Japan’s latest step away from the pacifist constitution by approving a plan to sell next-generation fighter jets to other countries. 

: 400;">: Asahi editorializes against the government’s decision to lift the nation’s export ban on fighter jets which it sees as executed in the absence of public discourse and coming on the heels of the revision of the three strategic documents— the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy and the Defense Buildup Program. 

: 400;">: After months of disputes, the Japanese government approves revised guidelines to its strict defense equipment transfer rules, enabling the export of next-generation fighter jets jointly developed with the UK and Italy under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). 

: 400;">: Japanese government announces plans to build underground evacuation shelters capable of accommodating residents for about two weeks in times of emergency in remote islands near Taiwan, including Yonaguni and Ishigaki. 

: 400;">: Kyodo states that  Japan has conducted its first-ever cybersecurity exercise with five Pacific island counties Feb. 18-26. 

: 400;">: According to government data, Japan’s exports rose 7.8% in February, as shipments continued to expand in cars and electrical machinery while its trade deficit sank to 379 billion yen ($2.5 billion). 

: 400;">: Foreign Minister Kamikawa, aiming to create an encircling net around China as part of efforts to increase momentum for nuclear disarmament, takes the initiative in creating a group of nations that support negotiations for the Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty at a UN meeting. 

: 400;">: Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Kobayashi Maki reiterates the Japanese government’s grave concern that the tough national security bill passed by Hong Kong lawmakers “will further undermine the confidence in the ‘one country, two systems’ framework.” 

: 400;">: Japanese Coast Guard states that a fleet of Chinese ships sailed in the territorial waters of the Diaoyu Islands on March 20. 

: 400;">: Kobe Gakuin University discloses that professor of Chinese literature and linguists Hu Shuyin has been missing since last summer when he temporarily returned to China. 

: 400;">: LDP and Komeito agree to allow exports of next-generation fighter jets to be jointly developed with Britain and Italy but for this specific model of fighter jet rather than all internationally co-developed defense equipment. 

: 400;">: Yasukuni Shrine picks retired MSDF commander and former Ambassador to Djibouti Otsuka Umio as its chief priest. 

: 400;">: Zhong Shanshan, said to be China’s richest man, is accused by online nationalists for covertly promoting Japan. 

: 400;">: SDF and US Marine Corps conduct the annual Iron Fist exercise to practice recapturing remote Japanese Islands. 

: 400;">: Japan’s largest employers including Nippon Steel, Toyota, Hitachi, and Toshiba announce record pay increases on Wednesday, signaling a break from the deflationary mindset that led to the prolonged period of low economic growth known as the “lost decades.” 

: 400;">: A self-described patriotic blogger sues Mo Yan, the first Chinese to have won the Nobel Prize in Literature (2012), for “beautifying soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army and insulting Mao Zedong.” 

: 400;">: On the 13th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Japanese students in Taiwan hold their annual event to thank the Taiwanese people for their generous donations, this year adding thanks for donations to areas hit by the New Year’s day quake on the Noto Peninsula. 

: 400;">: An Asahi editorial takes China to task for its “extremely incoherent” attitude of describing itself as a “staunch force for peace, stability and progress of the world” while failing to take a resolute stance against a war of aggression and threatening neighboring countries with its own military buildup. 

: 400;">: In another indication of warm relations between Japan and Taiwan, Kyushu Railway’s Nichinan station has become the sister station of Taiwan’s Rinan station, with the two sharing the same kanji, as do 31 other stations.The Nichinan municipal government plans to hold events such as Taiwan-style night markets to make its citizens feel closer to Taiwan. 

: 400;">: Japan’s trade deficit halves after a halt in the price of materials. Exports grow 7.6% year on year while imports fall 12.1%. 

: 400;">: Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar meets counterpart Kamikawa, with the two pledging cooperation in defense and security for the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

: 400;">: Kishida warns that Japan’s defense will be negatively impacted if the country is not allowed to export finished defense equipment developed jointly with Britain and Italy to third nations. 

: 400;">: Yomiuri editorializes against China’s planned 7.2% increase in its military budget—4.4 times the size of Japan’s proposed defense budget for the next fiscal year—even as the PRC economy faces problems. The editorial describes the Xi administration’s attempts to change the status quo by force through unbridled military expansion as absolutely unacceptable. 

: 400;">: An Asahi editorial urges Beijing to reconsider scrapping the premier’s news conference that has always been held on the final day of the legislative sessions, describing the decision as tantamount to abandoning its responsibility as a superpower by shutting down communication with the international community. 

: 400;">: In an exclusive interview with China Daily Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu reiterates familiar points: the two nations should “focus on the fundamental interests of the two peoples and the region’s need for peace and stability, and earnestly implement the important consensus of their leaders.” 

: 400;">: Speaking at a press conference Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa says that China’s rapidly expanding military power is a “serious concern’ for Japan and the international society. 

: 400;">: Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao seeks to allay growth and security concerns about China in the Japanese business community, saying the two sides should explore opportunities in emerging industries while warning that although Tokyo has an alliance with Washington, it has a responsibility to maintain stable ties with Beijing under the treaty of peace and friendship between the two sides. 

: 400;">: Heightening deterrence capabilities in coordination with other countries in the Indo-Pacific region as China builds up its military strength and North Korea continues launching missiles, the SDF took part in multinational joint exercises 56 times last year, 18 times the figure in 2006 when the Joint Staff Office was founded to manage the three forces. 

: 400;">: SDF will create a new sea transport joint force in 2025. 

: 400;">: Global Times warns that South Korea’s closer relations with Japan are its “Achilles heel” since they may trigger another wave of anti-Japanese sentiment across the country. 

: 400;">: China, Japan, and South Korea which account for 20% of world trade by value agree to reuse shipping pallets and make efforts to implement license plates usable in both the country of departure and the country of arrival to smooth the flow of goods among the three countries. 

: 400;">: Government data reveal that Japan’s industrial production fell 7.5% in January from the previous month due mainly to lower automobile output, the fastest decline since May 2020 in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

: 400;">: Kyoto-based control system manufacturer Omron is to cut 2,000 jobs in Japan and overseas in response to China’s economic slump. 

: 400;">: Asahi editorializes that recent visits of groups of SDF members to Yasukuni Shrine not only breach the constitutional principle of separation of religion and politics but also raised suspicion the SDF have not broken with the imperial Japanese military as they are supposed to have done. 

: 400;">: Supreme Allied Europe (SACEUR) Commander Gen. Christopher Cavoli visits Tokyo. 

: 400;">: Nikkei Asia discloses that officials from the Japanese foreign ministry and METI were among those taking part in an unannounced meeting with Chinese officials earlier this year. Japan and China have held working-level meetings on Fukushima wastewater before. 

: 400;">: Using such foreign organizations as the US Defense Department’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) or the DoD affiliated Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), as models, Japan announces it will launch a research institute for innovative technology development this autumn. Fifty of its 100 staffers are to be recruited from outside the defense ministry such as from companies and universities. 

: 400;">: At the ceremony to open TSMC’s first chip production plant in Japan, TSMC founder Chang predicts a chip renaissance in Japan as it attempts to regain the chipmaking glory it enjoyed in the 1980s. 

: 400;">: Asahi editorializes against “rushing” to increase SDF forces in Okinawa. The Defense ministry plans to increase personnel of the GSDF’s 15th Brigade based in Naha, and upgrade it to a division. 

: 400;">: Japan’s GDP unexpectedly shrinks for a second straight quarter; its economy slipping behind Germany to become the world’s fourth largest. At the same time, the Nikkei stock average rises more than 400 points, hovering about 38,000. 

: 400;">: Defense Ministry tries to reassure residents of Uruma, to be the site of a GSDF training site as part of the “southwest shift” of Japan’s defense capabilities, with China in mind. 

: 400;">: Komeito is refusing to agree to the LDP’s desire to supply allies with the next-generation fighter jet being developed with Britain and Italy. 

: 400;">: Slowing Chinese economy has started affecting Japanese companies, mainly manufacturers. Motor maker Nidec Corp. lowered its full-year net profit outlook due to falling electric vehicle prices in China, while chemical maker Asahi Kasei Corp. partly blamed weaker demand there for a decline in its operating profit. 

: 400;">: After a Chinese cyber-attack leaked Japan’s diplomatic cables, Foreign Minister Kamikawa tells the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives that the government must deepen relations with allies and friendly nations to expedite measures against cyber-attacks. 

: 400;">: In light of overseas developments such as China’s military expansion in recent years, the Japanese government intends to strengthen integrated operations of the SDF, including in new domains such as space and cyber. 

: 400;">: Kishida, meeting Kenyan President William Ruto in Tokyo, announces fiscal reconstruction aid for Kenya, which faced a worsening debt situation due to loans from China. 

: 400;">: On her first visit to Taiwan since taking office in 2016, Tokyo Gov. Koike Yuriko spends two days in Taiwan “to strengthen ties with the island’s leadership.” 

: 400;">: A former Japanese Defense Ministry intelligence officer believes that the Chinese military wants to eventually deploy Tang-class [Type 096] nuclear ballistic missile submarines equipped with the next-generation JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile to the Sea of Japan, posing a new security risk for Japan. 

: 400;">: Japan’s current account surplus was up 92.5% in 2023 from 2022. Exports grew 1.5% while imports declined 6.6%. 

: 400;">: Cosmetics maker Kao blames Beijing’s opposition to Japan’s releasing treated radioactive water for its 1.2% sales decline in China in 1923. 

: 400;">: Global Times accuses Japan of hypocrisy with regard to the confidentiality of Japan-US exercises. 

: 400;">: Yomiuri reports that China’s cyber-attack on the foreign ministry’s telecommunications network has exposed vulnerabilities in Japan’s security measures, leaving the United States hesitant to share defense-related information with Japan. 

: 400;">: Kishida stresses the urgent need to improve Japan’s ability to mount an active cyberdefense saying he will “speed up discussions to pass related bills as soon as possible.” 

: 400;">: Referencing Kishida’s meeting with Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, Professor Cui Hongjian of Beijing Foreign Studies University says that “In recent years, the major trend of Japan’s diplomacy is to strengthen contact and cooperation with European countries due to the impact of the [US’] Indo-Pacific strategy, while at the same time, the G7 has gradually become an important platform and tool for the US’ strategy against China.” 

: 400;">: Kyodo reports that Chinese Coast Guard vessels have been warning Japanese military aircraft to leave airspace over and around the Japanese-administered Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. Tokyo has lodged a protest with Beijing through diplomatic channels 

: 400;">: Self-Defense Forces and the US military name China as a hypothetical enemy for the first time in their joint command post exercise amid rising concerns over a potential invasion of Taiwan by Beijing in the future. 

: 400;">: Reuters, citing interviews with six Japanese officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the issue’s sensitivity, reports that the Japanese government has quietly attempted to engage with people close to Trump to warn against striking any deal with China that could upend years of collective efforts to rein in Beijing and risk the region’s fragile peace. 

: 400;">: Japanese Defense Industry announces that it has been deploying an airborne early warning and control system (AWACS) planes and other aircraft into the ADIZ which China has unilaterally declared over an area of the East China Sea, for surveillance of Beijing’s constant deployment of warships near the boundaries of the ADIZ. 

: 400;">:According to Japanese customs data, Japan exported 5.97 million vehicles last year while PRC customs data reported that China sold 5.22 million vehicles. Other media report that Chinese exports exceeded those of Japan by almost 500,000. Toyota remains the world’s largest automobile company by unit sales. 

: 400;">: Japanese government sources reveal that four Chinese warships have been constantly deployed around Taiwan, likely aiming to block US and other forces by using the ships in conjunction with other warships nearby. 

: 400;">: Foreign Minister Kamikawa pledges to promote a “mutually beneficial” relationship with China and make it “constructive and stable” through dialogue. 

: 400;">: Referencing China’s stationing of warships and recent efforts to defend its claimed ADIZ, Yomiuri states that the Japanese government needs to maintain a sense of urgency and continue to demonstrate that it will not tolerate China’s attempts to change the status quo.

: 400;">: China is deploying multiple warships around the clock in waters near the borders of the air defense identification zone that it has unilaterally established. 

: 400;">: CCTV reports that a Japanese fishing vessel and several patrol boats illegally entered the territorial waters of the Diaoyu (Senkaku) islands on the 27 and that the Chinese coast guard took the necessary control measures against them and warned them away. 

: 400;">: New York Times financial analysts state that a change in perception among investors about China and Japan is one of the biggest themes in the markets right now. Japan’s stock market, overlooked by investors for decades, is making a furious comeback. 

: 400;">: An usually large delegation from the Japan-China Economic Association that sought to improve Sino-Japanese relations returns home with no results save Premier Li Qiang’s pledge to improve the environment for foreign firms. 

: 400;">: Aiming to strengthen cooperation between Japan and Australia with China’s aggressive maritime expansion in mind, the Australian and Japanese defense departments have begun a four-year joint research project on unmanned underwater vehicles for underwater mine detection and unspecified other activities. 

: 400;">: A newly released report says ASDF scrambled fighter jets 555 times from April to December 2023, of which 392 or about 70% of which were against Chinese aircraft, down by 70 scrambles year on year. 

: 400;">: Japan’s trade deficit with mainland China expanded for the second straight year to reach ¥6.7 trillion ($44 billion) as exports fell 6.5% reflecting a slowdown of China’s economy. 

: 400;">: Japan’s December exports to China logged their first rise in more than a year as its exports surged to record highs, with shipments to the US reaching their strongest-ever level 

: 400;">: In its first visit to Beijing in about four years, a delegation from the Japan-China Economic Association seeks to improve relations. 

: 400;">: Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s survey on the economy and business environment in China reveals that 23% of respondents said they did not invest in China in 2023, while 25% said they reduced their investment from 2022, together accounting for about half of the total responses. 

: 400;">: Likely prompted by concerns over China’s hegemonic activities, Vietnam accelerates its efforts to strengthen its relationship with Japan and the United States. 

: 400;">: A Japanese Cabinet office survey finds that respondents who “feel no affinity” or “would rather not feel affinity” toward China reached 86.7%, up 4.9 percentage points from the previous year. By contrast 52.8% of respondents “feel an affinity with South Korea,” including “would rather feel affinity,” up 6.9 percentage points from the previous year, presumably due to improved bilateral relations under South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. 

: 400;">: China Daily terms Japan’s decision to move up its purchase of Tomahawk missiles by a year “a dangerous move deserving of the full alert of the region and beyond.” 

: 400;">: Trade statistics released by Chinese customs authorities show that exports of graphite and related products to Japan decreased by over 40% on a quantitative basis or 59% in monetary terms in December compared to the previous month. 

: 400;">: Aiming to respond quickly to possible cyberattacks and disinformation plots by countries such as China and Russia, Japan and NATO hope to establish a secure dedicated communication line for quickly sharing sensitive security information. 

: 400;">: Responding to its perception of threats from China and North Korea, the Japanese government agrees to purchase up to 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles a year earlier than planned. 

: 400;">: BYD, China’s largest electric vehicle maker, launches three passenger models in Indonesia as a Japanese government official laments the declining market share of Japanese car brands in Indonesia due to their lagging behind in EV sales. 

: 400;">: Leading Chinese economic magazine Caixin reports that as global investors continue to seek alternatives to the PRC, Japan stocks are rapidly recovering ground they lost to Chinese peers in the early years of the pandemic. 

: 400;">: Global Times charges that Japan and Australia’s discussions of cooperation in military contingencies are stirring up troubles and adding new factors of instability into the region. 

: 400;">: Diet members Furuya Keiji, Kaneko Yasushi, and former member Ohashi Mitsuo visit Taiwan to offer congratulations on Saturday’s election. 

: 400;">: According to the Financial Times, “Chinese chipmakers are taking group tours to network with their Japanese counterparts, as the semiconductor industry adapts to increasingly stringent export controls introduced by the US and its allies.” 

: 400;">: The Chinese embassy in Japan, without mentioning Lai Ching-te’s victory in the Taiwan presidential race, says it “resolutely opposes” Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa’s statement congratulating Lai on his victory and that Japan should refrain from sending any “wrong signals” to “Taiwan independence” forces. 

: 400;">: Mazda plans to launch a plug-in hybrid vehicle to be jointly developed with Chinese state-owned partner Changan Automobile. Production could start as early as 2025. Plug-in hybrids are growing popular given their advantage over electric vehicles in terms of range and convenience in charging. The two automakers will also work together to develop electric vehicles. 

: 400;">: Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and US counterpart Antony Blinken agree to cooperate closely in dealing with issues relating to China and on the importance of peace and stability around Taiwan and discuss a state visit by Kishida to Washington. 

: 400;">: Aso Taro, LDP vice-president and former prime minister, speaks to the US Congress and, separately, to reporters saying that the Japanese government may regard a contingency in Taiwan as a situation threatening the existence of Japan, thus implying that Japan may exercise the right of collective self-defense based on 2015 national security legislation. 

: 400;">: Fast fashion retailing chain Uniqlo reports a large, though unspecified, increase in revenue and profits in revenue and profits in China in 2023, Uniqlo has 931 outlets in China, more than in Japan, and plans to open more in 2024. 

: 400;">: Yomiuri editorializes on the need to pay close attention to a prolonged economic slump in China as well as the need to break away from excessive trade dependence on it. As the world aims to decarbonize, the spread of solar power, offshore wind power, and electric vehicles is essential, but supplies of many of the necessary raw materials and components, including key minerals, are dependent on China. 

: 400;">: Nikkei ends at its highest in 34 years as technology shares tracked overnight gains in US peers while a weaker yen boosted exporters. Meanwhile, a downbeat assessment of the Chinese economy prevails, as does an uptick in outlook on India and Japan. 

: 400;">: An annual parachuting drill including forces from eight countries including Britain, France, Germany, the US, and Japan’s 1st Airborne Brigade features the recapturing of an island that had been occupied by an unnamed enemy force. 

: 400;">: Showing Chinese uneasiness with closer relations among Japan, South Korea, and the US, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning expresses “serious concern” over a joint statement issued by the US, Japan, and the Republic of Korea about Taiwan and the South China Sea. 

: 400;">: Global Times editorializes that US Ambassador Rahm Emanuel is trying to drive a wedge between China and Japan. 

: 400;">: An opinion piece in South China Morning Post notes that, contrary to Beijing’s rhetoric about Asian states opposing Japan’s increase in military spending and easing of rules on the export of rules on the export of lethal weapons, many Asian countries in fact welcome Japan’s growing deterrence posture in curbing what they perceive as China’s increased attempts at economic and military coercion

: 400;">: China Daily cites Japanese experts’ views that the majority of Japanese people do not want missiles deployed toward China in their areas and that doubts and dissatisfaction with the government are growing in various municipalities. 

: 400;">: Japan Forward advocates deepening ties with Taiwan and India to counter common threats from China. 

: 400;">: Chinese foreign ministry says the country is willing to provide necessary help to Japan in the wake of the massive earthquake that struck the country on New Year’s Day. 

: 400;">: Chinese TV suspends an anchor after he suggested that Japan’s earthquake disaster was punishment for Japan’s discharge of nuclear waste water. The comments had gone viral. 

: 400;">: China Daily says it is highly improper for Japanese Consul General in Hong Kong Okada Kenichi to urge the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to lift the ban on seafood imports to show “a stark contrast between the mainland and Hong Kong.” 

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