The chairman of Japan's biggest business lobby says the first economic talks with China in four years will be all the more important in light of the cooling relations between the two countries.

A delegation of Japanese business leaders is planning to visit Beijing in January.

Tokura Masakazu, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, said, "There are difficult issues, including economic security. We want to call for cooperation in creating a free and open economic environment together."

The visit by the Japan-China Economic Association would be the first since 2019. That was before the coronavirus pandemic forced the group to suspend the trips.
Tokura mentioned China's strong opposition to the release of treated and diluted water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. He said the controversy makes it more necessary than ever for the two sides to sit down together.

Tokura added that he believes Chinese leaders are still interested in continuing dialogue so they can forge more open economic ties.