The South Korea-China-Japan meeting of vice ministers of finance and deputy governors of the Central Bank, which had been scheduled for the 25th, was abruptly canceled. China, which is in a diplomatic conflict with Japan, is said to have notified on the 22nd, three days before the meeting, that it would not attend.
On the 24th, the Ministry of Economy and Finance said in a schedule notice sent to the press corps that "the South Korea-China-Japan vice ministers of finance meeting scheduled for the 25th has been canceled." The three countries of South Korea, China and Japan and the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states hold annual meetings of finance ministers and Central Bank governors to discuss each country's economic issues. Ahead of this meeting, each country holds meetings of vice ministers and deputy governors to coordinate the agenda to be discussed at the ministers and governors meeting in advance.
The three countries' vice ministers of finance were to meet in advance of the plenary meeting with ASEAN countries scheduled for the 28th to coordinate positions on major economic issues.
However, as the conflict between China and Japan intensified, it is said that the Chinese side notified on the 22nd that it would not attend the vice ministers of finance meeting. Earlier, China also refused to attend the "South Korea-China-Japan culture ministers' meeting," which had been scheduled for the 24th, and the "South Korea-China-Japan summit," which Japan was pushing for in January next year.
China-Japan relations have been deteriorating since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office last month. On the 7th, Prime Minister Takaichi said in the National Assembly that "a Taiwan contingency could fall under a 'survival-threatening situation' in which Japan can exercise the right of collective self-defense," hinting at Japan's armed intervention.
In response, China is strongly protesting, saying Japan violated the "one China" principle. After Prime Minister Takaichi refused to retract the remarks, China issued an advisory for its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan.