Japan-China normalization event held in Beijng for 1st time in decade

September 9, 2017

BEIJING- A ceremony to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between Japan and China was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday with participation by ruling party members and other officials of the two countries. Such a normalization anniversary event took place in Beijing for the first time in 10 years.

Among the Japanese attendants, Yohei Kono, former speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, said, "I'm strongly feeling that further efforts are needed to move forward bilateral relations."

Held by friendship associations in Japan and China, the ceremony brought together some 300 people.

The Japanese attendants included former Home Affairs Minister Takeshi Noda of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, now head of the Japan-China Friendship Association, and officials from six other friendship organizations in addition to Kono, an LDP lawmaker currently serving as chairman of the international trade promotion association.

From China, Wang Chen, vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, took part along with other officials.

As the administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping remains vigilant against the government of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, top-level Chinese officials were absent in the ceremony, observers said.

The 35th anniversary event in 2007 was joined by former Japanese prime ministers Yoshiro Mori and Tomiichi Murayama and then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The 40th ceremony was abruptly canceled as Japan's nationalization of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea drew a strong backlash from China. Jiji Press