Former Japanese Foreign Minister Visits Beijing to Shore Up Economic Relations

Former Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya arrived in Beijing on Sunday with a business delegation, seeking to sustain economic ties and reopen channels for dialogue as tensions over Taiwan continue to strain relations between Asia’s two largest economies.

Iwaya, a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker who became chairman of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade (JAPIT) in July, is leading about 50 delegates on a four-day visit through Sept. 30. The group includes lawmaker Gaku Hashimoto and Japanese corporate executives.