Japan, China revive talks with Trump vs Biden, East China Sea on agenda

“The Senkakus issue is simply intractable,” said Yakov Zinberg, an international-relations professor at Tokyo’s Kokushikan University. “The two sides are clearly a long way apart and show no signs of narrowing their difference so I expect them to only mention this in passing and avoid deeper discussions.

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BIDEN OR TRUMP: WHOEVER WINS, WE LOSE

The visit is an attempt to resurrect the regular reciprocal exchanges by politicians of both countries that were halted during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Japanese delegation will be led by Banri Kaieda, a 30-year-veteran of Japanese politics who is the former head of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan and presently serves as vice-speaker of the House of Representatives.

The left-leaning Kaieda is perceived as being open to greater ties with China – he studied Chinese and political science at Keio University, lists Chinese poetry as a hobby, and his father was a journalist who covered mainland China and Taiwan and named his son after the Great Wall of China (Banri no Chojo).

It is not clear how many Japanese politicians will be part of the delegation, but national broadcaster NHK has reported that they will be drawn from parties across the political spectrum, including the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japanese Communist Party.

The delegation is expected to meet Zhao Leji, the third most senior member of the Chinese Communist Party and chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.

“If the Japanese side understands China’s position, then they can be prepared” for the election’s aftermath, he said.

“The assumption is that this attack will benefit Trump with the electorate, which Beijing and Tokyo will have to take into account as they plan for the next US