Japan’s Abe Promises ‘Proper Response’ to China’s Belt and Road on Case-by-Case Basis

PRESS RELEASE

Japan’s Abe Promises ‘Proper Response’ to China’s Belt and Road on Case-by-Case Basis

Jan. 11, 2018 (EIRNS)—Following his meeting with Toshihiro Nikai, Secretary General of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and Yoshihisa Inoue, Secretary General of the Komeito Party (the LDP’s coalition partner), Premier Shinzo Abe said Japan will "properly respond to" individual cooperation programs related to the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, Xinhua reported. Nikai and Inoue have returned from China where they had met Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Inoue suggested to Abe that Japan should not miss the current opportunities to improve Sino-Japanese relations, and should try to realize exchanges of high-level visits between China and Japan, according to Kyodo News. Chinese President Xi Jinping, during his Dec. 28 meeting with the Japanese delegation, called on China and Japan to enhance party-to-party exchanges and cooperation, reported Xinhua at the time.

"Xi spoke highly of the role of the China-Japan ruling party exchange mechanism in promoting bilateral relations, and hailed the efforts made by Nikai and Inoue to promote exchanges between the ruling parties of China and Japan, saying they have strengthened bilateral practical cooperation and friendship. For their part, Nikai and Inoue said Japan’s ruling coalition stands ready to enhance communication and exchange with the Communist Party of China (CPC) and make greater contributions to the development of Japan-China relations,"

wrote Xinhua.