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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that relations with Tokyo are heading towards normalization during his meeting with former Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Egawa, who is leading a trade delegation to Beijing.
Diplomatic tensions between the two countries escalated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hinted in November that Tokyo might intervene if Taiwan were attacked.
In response, China warned its citizens against traveling to Japan and imposed trade restrictions, which reportedly led to a significant decline in the supply of vital rare earth metals to Japanese companies.
Egawa led a delegation to China comprising nearly 50 business leaders, aiming to enhance bilateral trade that has been affected by restrictions and tariffs imposed since November.
Wang told Egawa that "Chinese-Japanese relations are once again facing a critical situation, and are expected to return to normal again," according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Wang added, "For the Japanese side, the most urgent task is to correct the wrong statements and actions of the country's leaders regarding the Taiwan issue."
Egawa's visit to Beijing follows a month after a visit by current Japanese lawmakers to the Chinese capital seeking to mend relations, without significant progress.
Egawa, who served as Foreign Minister until October 2025, remains an influential voice within Japan's conservative Liberal Democratic Party, despite criticism from some party members for being lenient towards China.
In December 2024, Egawa, then Foreign Minister, visited Wang in Beijing, and they agreed to ease visa rules for Chinese tourists after Beijing took a similar step.
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