Did Japan Bow Its Head? Fallout Over China's Release of 'Diplomatic Talks' Video

Japanese Media: "China Emphasizes Diplomatic Superiority"
Interpreted as a Deliberate Move
"Kanai Was Listening to the Interpreter"

A video of diplomatic working-level officials released on the Chinese social network service 'Weiyuantantian' account by the state-run China Central Television (CCTV). CCTV

On November 19, as a video showing Chinese and Japanese diplomatic officials meeting after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks suggesting possible intervention in a Taiwan contingency spread across Chinese social network services (SNS), Japanese media interpreted this as a highly intentional move by China.

Liu Jinsong, Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, met with Kanai Masaaki, Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who was visiting Beijing, at the Ministry's headquarters the previous day.

The video shows, after the director-general-level talks between the two countries' diplomatic authorities concluded, Director-General Liu standing near the building's entrance with his hands in his pockets, looking down at Director-General Kanai with a stern expression, while Director-General Kanai slightly bows his head toward Liu.

Regarding this, the Asahi Shimbun reported, "It is unusual for the state-run China Central Television (CCTV) to release a video that seems to emphasize diplomatic superiority at a working level."

The paper added, "Some local media even titled it 'Japanese official leaving the Chinese foreign ministry with his head bowed,' interpreting that China aimed to create the impression that Japan had come to offer explanations, thus staging a scene of Chinese superiority."

The Yomiuri Shimbun commented, "There appears to be an intention to stage a scene in which the Japanese side was summoned for a protest," and noted, "Ahead of these talks, there were critical voices within the Liberal Democratic Party asking, 'Are we going to apologize?' while the Japanese government emphasized that this was a routine reciprocal visit."

The Mainichi Shimbun reported, "This video coverage by China Central Television appears to be part of a propaganda campaign to show that China is taking the lead in the situation," and added, "Director-General Liu Jinsong's Mao suit-style attire conveyed a patriotic message to the domestic audience."

Japan's Jiji Press also observed, "It appears to be part of a propaganda effort to highlight China's superiority." The agency further explained, "Our reporter was also on site, and when both sides appeared in the lobby and paused, it looked as if the Chinese director-general was speaking with his hands in his pockets while Kanai was listening. However, Kanai was actually listening to the interpreter standing next to him, which made it appear as though he was bowing his head."