Japanese corporate leaders visit Beijing in effort to mend ties
Association of corporate chiefs with ties to mainland going back the 1970s visits leaders in Beijing to help get relations back on track
A group of influential Japanese business leaders is due to meet Vice-President Li Yuanchao today in Beijing in an effort to improve soured relations between the two countries.
The 16-member mission from the Japan-China Economic Association, led by Toyota chairman Fujio Cho, was originally scheduled to visit in September, as the group has met top Chinese politicians frequently since 1972, but the trip was cancelled amid rising tensions over the sovereignty of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea.
The delegation is also scheduled to meet officials today from the National Development and Reform Commission and the foreign ministry.
Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that the delegation had also requested to meet other senior leaders including Premier Li Keqiang during their three-day visit.
"The goal for our trip is to normalise trade between China and Japan, and hopefully it can improve in the future," Kenji Inaba, managing director of the association, said yesterday.
The goal for our trip is to normalise trade between China and Japan, and hopefully it can improve in the future
"We hope to make progress for future talks between the two nations' leaders," Inaba said.