Chronologies
Japan - China
Chronology from Apr 2010 to Jul 2010
: FM Okada tells a press conference that G8 membership should be based on a commitment to democracy and shared values.
: PM Kan meets President Hu on sidelines of G20 Summit in Toronto.
: Upper House of the Diet passes legislation identifying Okinotorishima and Minamitorishima as “special distant islands” as preparations are advanced to begin construction of port facilities to strengthen Japan’s EEZ claims.
: PM Kan attends G8 in Toronto and proposes inviting China to attend future G8 meetings.
: Japan’s National Tourist Organization reports 600,000 Chinese citizens visited Japan between January-May, an increase of 36 percent over 2009.
: Yonagumi town assembly discusses possible deployment of Self-Defense Forces (SDF) forces to the island.
: Toyota Motor hit by strike at its Guangzhou assembly plant; a labor agreement reached on June 25.
: Kan tells Upper House that he has no intention to visit Yasukuni Shrine while prime minister and that constitutional reform not a pressing issue.
: Tokyo announces the appointment of Niwa Uichiro as ambassador to China.
: Workers at Toyota affiliate Toyota Gosei go on strike in Tianjin.
: PM Kan makes his initial policy speech to Diet. He casts the US-Japan alliance as the cornerstone of Japan’s diplomacy; relations with China included with other states of Asia.
: Kan government takes office.
: Workers at Honda Motors affiliate Yutaka Giken go on strike in Guangzhou.
: Kan Naoto is elected as Japan’s new prime minister.
: PM Hatoyama resigns.
: Hatoyama government releases policy statement on his concept of an East Asia Community, saying that US involvement as vital.
: Japan’s Foreign Ministry releases a poll of US opinion leaders in which China topped Japan as the most important partner in Asia for the US – 56 percent to 36 percent. In a poll of the general public, Japan and China tied at 44 percent.
: Premier Wen visits Japan and meets PM Hatoyama in Tokyo; Wen commits to early negotiations on East China Sea.
: Japan, China, and ROK summit is held in Jeju, ROK.
: Taiwanese ship enters Japan’s EEZ in Senkaku island chain to assert Taiwan sovereignty claim.
: Japan, China, and ROK trade ministers meet in Seoul to discuss regional economic cooperation.
: Japan,China, and South Korean environment ministers meet in Hokkaido.
: Japanese Consulate in Qingdao is informed by Chinese Customs authorities that a Japanese national has been detained on charges related to the possession of illegal drugs.
: Foreign ministers of Japan, China, and ROK meet in Gyeongju Korea. During a bilateral Japan-China meeting Okada challenges China’s efforts at nuclear arms reduction.
: FM Okada says it is necessary to carefully monitor the development of China’s nuclear and naval power.
: Premier Wen Jiabao meets a visiting Keidanren delegation and expresses hope for the conclusion of China-Japan-ROK FTA.
: Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou expresses hopes for conclusion of Taiwan-Japan FTA.
: Japan announces that it will accept less than 50 percent share of investment in Shirakaba/Chunxiao natural gas field.
: Japan decides to ease visa requirements for individual Chinese tourists. The change will take effect July 1.
: Japan, China, and South Korea hold a working level discussion on a trilateral free trade agreement (FTA) in Seoul.
: Taiwanese fishing trawler enters Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
: China’s Vice President Xi Jinping meets a visiting delegation from the Diet’s Japan-China Friendship League.
: Asahi Shimbun poll finds 67 percent of respondents are opposed to amending Article 9 of Japan’s constitution.
: Japan Pavilion opens at Shanghai Exposition.
: Japanese Foreign Ministry issues web-site warning to travelers visiting China about the potential death penalty for involvement in drug smuggling.
: China’s Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua suggests Japan’s surveillance of PLA Navy’s training exercises indicates a lack of trust on the part of Japan.
: Japan’s Ministry of Defense announces Chinese helicopter approached a Japanese destroyer conducting surveillance activities.
: Foreign Minister (FM) Okada Katsuya acknowledges that Hatoyama did not raise helicopter incident with Hu.
: Kyodo News Service reports the Hatoyama government’s intention to encourage Chinese tourists by easing regulations for individual Chinese visitors.
: Minister of Defense Kitazawa Toshimi announces April 10 transit of PLA Navy.
: PM Hatoyama and President Hu Jintao meet in Washington on sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit.
: PLA Navy ships transit in international waters between Okinawa’s main island and Miyakojima and conduct training exercises through April 23.
: People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy ships conduct training exercises in East China Sea.
: Executions of the Japanese drug smugglers are carried out in China.
: PM Hatoyama Yukio meets journalists attending a Japan-China journalist conference in Tokyo and exchanges views on Japan-China war and history
: Deputy Prime Minister (PM) Kan Naoto in Beijing expresses Japan’s concerns over executions; participates in Japan-China Finance Dialogue.
: China alerts Japan to the pending executions of four Japanese nationals convicted of drug smuggling.
: Senior Japanese, Chinese, and Korean Foreign Ministry officials meet in Jeju, South Korea to advance trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting.