Japan, China mulling putting off Xi’s visit amid virus crisis

March 2, 2020

Tokyo--Tokyo and Beijing have started to consider postponing a planned state visit to Japan by Chinese President Xi Jinping from early April, as both sides need to put priority on containing the outbreaks of the new coronavirus, Japanese government sources said Sunday.

The Japanese and Chinese governments are expected to reach a conclusion on the matter within this week, according to the sources.

At a news conference on Saturday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, "While there is no change in President Xi's planned Japan visit at the moment, we will keep in close contact (on the presidential visit) in light of the need for achieving sufficient results."

The remarks were understood by some to have suggested the possibility that Xi's visit could be pushed back.

"No decision (on the postponement) has been made, but developments related to the coronavirus will affect (the schedule of) President Xi's visit to Japan," a senior Japanese government official said. "Based on the common sense, it would be difficult" for Xi to visit Japan in April, another Japanese official said.

If the Japanese and Chinese governments decide to put off the presidential visit, they would likely consider rescheduling the trip for autumn this year or later, after the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics this summer, sources said.

The viral outbreak has forced China to decide on postponing this year's National People's Congress, which was slated to start next Thursday.

Japan's government has asked all elementary, junior high and high schools, and special-needs schools in the nation to close until the start of the regular spring break to reduce the risk of infection among children.

Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and foreign policy chief of China, visited Japan in late February, holding meetings with Abe, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Shigeru Kitamura, head of the secretariat for the Japanese government's National Security Council.

The two sides "didn't seem to be sticking to the idea that President Xi's Japan visit must be realized this spring at any cost," a Japanese government official with access to the meetings said. Jiji Press