Japan objects after Chinese spokesman calls PM Takaichi by name without her title
In short
Japan has told China it objects to a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman referring to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi by name only, without her title, Korean outlets reported, citing Jiji Press. Japanese Foreign Ministry press secretary Toshihiro Kitamura (기타무라 도시히로) said on October 7 that showing respect to a country's leader is a matter of course under international protocol, even when positions differ. Spokesman Guo Jiakun had called her "Takaichi Sanae" at a September 30 briefing while answering a question about nuclear weapons discussions in Japan.
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Japan has objected to China after a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman referred to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi by her name alone, without her title, at an official briefing, Korean outlets reported on October 7 and 8, citing Japan's Jiji Press. Japanese Foreign Ministry press secretary Toshihiro Kitamura (기타무라 도시히로) told a press conference on October 7 that Japan had conveyed its position to the Chinese side. "Even if there are differences in position, it is a matter of course under international protocol to show respect to a country's leader," he said. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Kukmin Ilbo reported that Japan told China, through working-level channels between the diplomatic authorities, that the form of address was inappropriate and did not match diplomatic practice. Newsis said Japan raised the issue, while Korea Economic Daily described it as a strong protest. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The dispute stems from a regular briefing on September 30, when Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun referred to "Takaichi Sanae" while answering a question about discussions in Japan on possessing nuclear weapons. Korea Economic Daily said the question concerned Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi's remarks about possessing nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered submarines, and that Guo referred to Koizumi as the "current head of the defence sector" while naming only Takaichi without a title. The paper said it was reportedly the first time China's foreign ministry had done so at an official event since she took office. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
When Takaichi took office in October last year, China referred to her as "Prime Minister of Japan". Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily said that, given how carefully China's foreign ministry chooses its wording, the omission was hard to regard as a simple slip of the tongue. Korea Economic Daily said the Chinese Communist Party-affiliated outlet Shangguan News (상관신문) also noted the wording. It added that China's foreign ministry had used the titles "Prime Minister of Japan" or "Prime Minister Koizumi" for Junichiro Koizumi, who visited Yasukuni Shrine six years in a row from 2001 to 2006. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Korea Economic Daily reported that relations deteriorated sharply after Takaichi told parliament in November last year that a Taiwan contingency could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" in which Japan's Self-Defense Forces may use force, a remark China took as signalling possible military involvement. It said high-level dialogue has since effectively stopped, while China keeps contact with other Japanese political groups and business; former foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya met Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice Premier He Lifeng in China late last month. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The outlets present the dispute over a form of address as another sign of worsening China-Japan relations, which have been strained over security policy and Taiwan. Korea Economic Daily reported that high-level dialogue between the two countries has effectively stopped since Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan in November last year.
Key facts
- At a regular briefing on September 30, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun referred to Japan's prime minister as "Takaichi Sanae" without her title. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- He was answering a question about discussions in Japan on possessing nuclear weapons; Korea Economic Daily said the question concerned Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi's remarks on nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered submarines. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Japanese Foreign Ministry press secretary Toshihiro Kitamura said on October 7 that Japan had conveyed its position on the matter to China. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kitamura said that showing respect to a country's leader is a matter of course under international protocol, even when positions differ. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- When Takaichi took office in October last year, China referred to her using the title "Prime Minister of Japan". [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily said the omission was hard to regard as a simple slip of the tongue, given how carefully China's foreign ministry chooses its wording. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reported that at the same briefing Guo referred to Koizumi as the "current head of the defence sector" while naming only Takaichi without a title. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun called Prime Minister Takaichi "Takaichi Sanae" without her title at a September 30 briefing. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Japanese Foreign Ministry press secretary Toshihiro Kitamura said on October 7 that Japan had conveyed its position to China. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kitamura said showing respect to a country's leader is a matter of course under international protocol, even when positions differ. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- China had used the title "Prime Minister of Japan" for Takaichi when she took office in October last year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Sing Tao Daily said the change was hard to see as a simple slip of the tongue. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether China dropped the title deliberately. The outlets cite Sing Tao Daily's analysis and unnamed interpretations; no statement from China on its reasons is reported.
- How strongly Japan protested. Korea Economic Daily says Japan protested strongly; Newsis says it raised the issue, and Kukmin Ilbo says it conveyed that the wording was inappropriate.
- Whether this was the first time China's foreign ministry used her name without a title since she took office. Only Korea Economic Daily reports this, and it says it was reportedly the first time.
- China's response to Japan's objection. None of the documents reports a Chinese reaction.