Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to visit China for APEC summit

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to conduct her first official visit to China from November 16 to 19, 2026. According to Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki, the Prime Minister will travel to Shenzhen to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, as part of a diplomatic tour that also includes a stop in the Philippines for ASEAN meetings.

This visit occurs amidst heightened bilateral tensions between the two regional powers. Since taking office in October 2025, Takaichi has adopted a firm stance on regional security, specifically stating that Japan could intervene if China were to launch an attack against Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing considers its sovereign territory. These remarks have contributed to a strained diplomatic atmosphere leading up to the summit.

While the primary purpose of the trip is participation in the regional economic forums, the visit is considered a significant diplomatic move for the conservative leader. Observers view the scheduling as an attempt to manage the cooling relations between Tokyo and Beijing through multilateral engagement.