Novel Corona Virus, the Senkaku Islands of Okinawa prefecture, and Hong Kong. There are many pending issues between Japan and China on Xi Jinping’s visit as a state guest.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Japan as a state guest is about to be brought up again as a topic for diplomatic negotiations, the Japan Conference and Diet members’ committee of the Japan Conference  jointly released the “Statement Calling for the Cancellation of Xi Jinping’s visit to Japan as a state guest” as the second installment of the “Statement of Concern about the Invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping as a State Guest,” which was released on February 7.

Since it is clear that the President’s visit to Japan as a state guest will be used by China for its international propaganda, we urge the Japanese government to take a firm stance against China and place the highest priority on the cancellation of the President’s visit to Japan and the resolution of the issues between Japan and China.

On July 10 2020, the delegates of Diet members’ committee of the Japan Conference  and the Japan Conference visited Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga at the Prime Minister’s Office and handed the resolution calling on the Japanese Government to cancel President Xi Jinping’s visit to Japan as a state guest, and verbally requested Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga to cancel the plan which has been pending due to the global pandemic of the novel coronavirus. Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga responded to the request, saying, “I would like to take it seriously.”

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Statement calling for the cancellation of President Xi Jinping’s visit to Japan as a state guest

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Japan scheduled in April this year as a state guest was postponed due to the global pandemic of the novel corona virus.  Today, however, the President’s visit to Japan is once again about to be brought up as a topic for diplomatic negotiations.

A number of pending issues between Japan and China are still piling up at the present time, and with the current state of international public opinions about China, President Xi’s visit to Japan will not be well received both at home and abroad.

First, it has been pointed out that the background to the global pandemic of the novel coronavirus is the Chinese government’s delay in disclosing the information about the virus and there was a mass exodus of Chinese nationals from the country before the Chinese New Year festival. However, the Chinese government still does not accept responsibility for this.

Second, at a time when the world is united in its efforts to control the outbreak, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)is escalating activities with its military vessels in conjunction with Chinese Maritime Police Bureau’s security vessels in the waters around the Senkaku Islands. On May 8, a Chinese Maritime Police Bureau’s security vessel engaged in a reckless action by invading Japan’s territorial waters and relentlessly chasing a Japanese fishing boat. This dangerous violation of our sovereignty cannot be allowed to continue.

Third, China’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress announced on June 30 that the “Hong Kong National Security Law” which tightens China’s control over Hong Kong was passed. This rejects 50 years of “one country, two systems” and “a high degree of autonomy” as stated in the Sino-British Joint Statement. This Chinese Communist Party’s decision to place Hong Kong under a single party dictatorship has been condemned by the West and the international community. China’s behavior is a major deviation from international principles of freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, and it is totally unacceptable.

China’s extraordinary stance is expected to become more pronounced in the run-up to next year’s 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

It is inevitable that Xi Jinping’s visit to Japan as a state guest at such a time will be used to strengthen the Chinese regime and promote its international propaganda. Japan’s Emperor and Empress’ visit to China in 1992 was exploited by China to salvage herself from international isolation that followed the Tiananmen Square protests.  We must not repeat the history of the past. Today, advancing Xi Jinping’s visit to Japan runs contrary to Japan’s national interest, and she will be ridiculed by the world for bowing to China.

The government should take a resolute attitude toward China, not receive President Xi as the state guest, and make it a top priority to resolve the pending issues between the two nations.

July 7, 2020
Diet members’ committee of the Japan Conference
The Japan Conference