Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Tokyo Calls on Beijing to Respect Japanese Prime Minister


(MENAFN) Japan calls on China to observe diplomatic protocol when referring to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson mentioned her without using her official title.

"Even if there are differences in stances, I believe that showing proper respect to the leader of a country is a matter of course in terms of international protocol," Japanese Foreign Press Secretary Toshihiro Kitamura told a news conference.

Kitamura says Tokyo has delivered an "appropriate request" to Beijing but declines to provide further details.

The disagreement follows a Sept. 30 briefing in which Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun referred to the Japanese leader simply as "Sanae Takaichi."

Guo was answering a question concerning comments by Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi about discussions surrounding the possible possession of nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered submarines.

He says Japan, as a country without nuclear weapons under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, has an obligation under international law to refrain from obtaining nuclear arms.

"There is no room for negotiation," he said, while noting that Takaichi had reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to its three non-nuclear principles in February.

Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have deteriorated significantly since Takaichi said in parliament last November that a Chinese military action against Taiwan could lead Japan to consider responding militarily.

MENAFN08102026000045017640ID1111779883



MENAFN

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.



More Story