Japan Seeks Assurance Xi Will Shake Takaichi’s Hand at APEC

What changed

Japan is seeking assurances that Chinese President Xi Jinping will give Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi a customary handshake when they meet at the APEC summit in Shenzhen on Nov. 18-19. Japanese officials plan to protest if China arranges an unusual reception, making a brief public greeting the first test of ties since a Taiwan dispute damaged relations.

Why it matters

The handshake is small, but the setting is not. Japan-China relations are near their lowest point since the countries normalized ties in 1972, so the choreography around Takaichi’s arrival will carry political weight beyond the few seconds it takes to greet her.

Xi shook former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s hand when China hosted APEC in 2014, during another period of strained relations. That meeting followed months of groundwork for a thaw. This time, Japanese officials are still seeking reassurance that Takaichi will receive the same treatment as other leaders.

The immediate outlook is uncertain: a normal greeting could keep the summit from becoming a fresh public confrontation, while an unusual reception could turn protocol into the story. Whether Japan formally protests, and how China responds, will show how much room remains for even basic diplomatic gestures between the two governments.