September 16, 2026

Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Yamazoe Taku (JCP senator), as a member of a cross-party group of junior Dietmembers, attended a meeting held on September 14 in Beijing with Liu Bin, China’s Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Yang Wanming, president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC).

The group visited China between September 13 and 15 as a delegation of the Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians’ Union.

In the meeting, Yamazoe pointed out that following Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s “Taiwan contingency” remark in November 2025, Japan-China relations deteriorated and tensions intensified over time. He explained the JCP view that her remark undermines Japan-China friendship and thus should be retracted.

Furthermore, he noted that in the 1972 Japan-China Joint Communique, Japan promised that it “fully understands and respects” the Chinese government’s position that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China.” He stressed, “It is necessary for the Japanese government to reaffirm its position stated in the joint statement.”

The JCP senator also pointed out that in the 2008 Japan-China joint statement, the two countries agreed that they are “cooperative partners and do not pose a threat to each other.” He said that the need is for both countries to implement this agreement faithfully.

Stating that the JCP opposes any attempt in the East China Sea to change the status quo by force, Yamazoe called on the Chinese side to exercise restraint. Regarding the Taiwan issue, he stated, “The JCP strongly calls for a peaceful settlement of this issue and opposes the use of force by China. At the same time, the party is opposed to the military involvement and intervention by third countries.”

The Chinese side explained their government’s position on issues concerning the East China Sea and Taiwan.

Past related article:
> Yamazoe urges PM Takaichi to retract her remark on potential ‘Taiwan contingency’ as a national security issue for Japan in order to prevent escalation of situation [November 15, 2025]