Japan asks China to “respect” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

Japan has asked China to show "appropriate respect" after a Chinese spokesperson mentioned Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi using only her name, without specifying her position. “Even when there are divergent positions, I think that under international protocol it stands to reason that appropriate respect should be shown to the leader of another country,” Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Toshihiro Kitamura said Wednesday.

On September 30, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guo Jiakun, referred to the Japanese leader only as “Sanae Takaichi” during a press conference, failing to specify her title as is customary. Guo referred to discussions in Japan on the possession of nuclear weapons and nuclear submarines.

Skip the ad

Attempt at appeasement

Diplomatic relations between the two Asian economic giants have been very tense since Ms. Takaichi suggested last year that Tokyo could intervene in the event of an attack on Taiwan, an island that Beijing claims as part of its territory.

Several Japanese parliamentarians have visited China in recent weeks to try to ease diplomatic tensions. In a policy speech on Monday, Takaichi called Beijing an "important neighbor" and pledged to build a stable relationship between the two countries.