Japanese business leaders shelve annual China trip as tensions mount

The postponement, first reported by Bloomberg and Kyodo, is widely seen by observers as a worrying sign of fraying corporate diplomacy – long regarded as a stabilising channel in the countries’ complicated relationship.

However, Tokyo has remained defiant, with the Japanese leader using her New Year’s Day address on Thursday to pledge stronger national defences while warning of China’s growing “hegemonic moves” in the region.

“Under the current state of Japan-China relations, we have made sustained efforts to make this delegation a reality,” the JCEA said. “However, we have found it difficult to secure sufficient exchanges with Chinese government agencies, including meetings with national leaders.”