Kono, Wang pledge to improve bilateral ties
Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, agreed Sunday that the two countries should steadily promote reciprocal visits by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping in order to improve bilateral relations.
In their talks, held at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing, Kono and Wang reaffirmed that Japan and China are cooperative partners and will not become a threat to each other, with the two countries marking the 40th anniversary this year of the signing of the Japan-China peace and friendship treaty.
Kono asked for Chinese cooperation to hold a three-way summit meeting also involving South Korea in Japan this spring and invited Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to visit Japan for the summit.
In response, Wang said China aims for an early summit among the three Asian countries. Japan and China will make specific preparations, according to a Japanese official with access to the Kono-Wang meeting.
In their meeting, Kono and Wang agreed to promote bilateral cooperation to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Kono underscored the need to ramp up the pressure on North Korea over its nuclear and missile development. The two ministers reaffirmed that their countries will fully implement related U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Kono protested the recent entry of a submerged Chinese submarine into the contiguous zone surrounding Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. He urged China to prevent a recurrence of such entry.
AP - Nov 26
Top diplomats from Japan and China met for bilateral talks Saturday as they try to resolve disputes including China's ban on Japanese seafood that has badly hit Japanese exporters.
Reuters - Nov 25
Japan passed on Friday an extra budget worth around 13.1 trillion yen ($88 billion) aimed at helping households cope with the rising cost of living and corporations boost domestic investment, even amid concerns over the country's worsening finances.
News On Japan - Nov 23
Japan hosted the "Self-Defense Forces Joint Exercise," from October 10, attended by the Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) and the U.S. military. JNN reports on Japan's only elite unit, the 1st Airborne Brigade, during their training.
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Kyodo - Nov 22
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dailymail.co.uk - Nov 22
The home of the US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel became the target of anti-Semitic vandals over the weekend who spray painted the word 'Nazis' on a fence outside his house in Michigan.
CNA - Nov 21
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AOL - Nov 19
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News On Japan - Nov 18
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CCTV Video News Agency - Nov 18
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eurasiareview.com - Nov 18
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News On Japan - Nov 16
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NHK - Nov 15
Wednesday marks 46 years since a 13-year-old junior high school girl was kidnapped by North Korean agents.
NHK - Nov 14
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NHK - Nov 14
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