Japan slightly downgraded its assessment of relations with China in its annual foreign policy report released Friday, as ties between the two Asian giants remain strained over views on Taiwan.?
In its 2026 Diplomatic Bluebook, Japan referred to China as "an important neighbor¡± after describing Tokyo-Beijing ties as "one of the most important bilateral relations¡± in the 2025 iteration of the report. Despite the new assessment, Japan also emphasized the need for continued communication.?
"The fact of the matter is that there are changes every year that span many fields,¡± Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Friday when asked to comment on the change in wording.?
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