Japanese cabinet minister makes brief visit to China, first since deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations

Japanese Minister for Children's Policies Hitoshi Kikawada has traveled to Shanghai to attend the APEC ministerial meeting on "Women and the Economy". This marks the first visit to China by a Japanese cabinet member since Sino-Japanese relations soured following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks regarding a "Taiwan contingency" last November. Kikawada stated he received a thoughtful invitation from the Chinese side and intends to focus on the APEC themes without holding sideline meetings with counterparts, including China, before returning to Japan.