Tokyo complains over video of diplomat appearing to bow to Chinese official
Japan lodges complaint with China over media filming of Liu Jinsong and Masaaki Kanai after their talks, as diplomatic row worsens
Footage of a Japanese diplomat appearing to bow to his Chinese counterpart following their talks in Beijing on Tuesday has prompted a complaint from Tokyo that it was not informed about media filming after the meeting.
Tuesday’s meeting between China’s Asian affairs chief Liu Jinsong and his Japanese counterpart Masaaki Kanai ended without consensus.
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Tokyo complains over video of diplomat appearing to bow to Chinese official
The video of Liu and Kanai – with the hashtag “Japanese official bows his head while listening to the Chinese side” – was posted after the talks by Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account run by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. It has since been deleted.
In the video clip, Kanai is seen leaning in to listen to the translator after Liu spoke, while the Chinese official kept his hands in his pockets. It looks like Kanai is slightly bowing.
Liu wears a suit in a style that was popular among student protesters during the anti-imperialist political movement of the 1920s. He also has a Chinese national emblem lapel pin on his jacket.
Tokyo has complained to Beijing over media coverage of the two officials after their meeting.
“We have raised the issue with the Chinese side regarding the press arrangements that were made without coordination with the Japanese side,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters in Tokyo on Wednesday.