Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers his policy speech at the extraordinary session of parliament's lower house Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Tokyo. (Photo: VCG)

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is reportedly planning to postpone his visit to the US, and some media outlets pointed out that he had previously underscored the vital importance of the Japanese Prime Minister visiting China.

According to Kyodo News on Tuesday, US President-elect Donald Trump expressed his willingness to hold talks with Ishiba during a press conference in December 2024 and, according to a Japanese government source, informed Tokyo of his intention to do so possibly in mid-January before he returns to the White House.

But Ishiba thinks it would be desirable for both sides to hold a first formal bilateral summit when he visits the US in February or possibly later, Kyodo reported, citing the officials.

Nikkei Asia reported on Monday that Ishiba expressed his willingness to visit China in a program on TBS, saying that it is an extremely important thing for a Japanese Prime Minister to visit China. The trust between the two top leaders cannot be superficial and that it must be developed through interactions.

Regarding China-Japan relations, Ishiba was quoted by Nikkei Asia as saying that ties must remain stable, as China and Japan are neighboring countries. He noted the two countries will establish a trust relationship and explore each other's interests.

He further emphasized the importance of maintaining a relationship with the US, adding that in a certain sense, the Taiwan question has become more complex than it was when Japan and China normalized its diplomatic relations, according to Nikkei Asia report. 

Some media outlets have linked Ishiba's potential delay in visiting the US to his remarks emphasizing the importance of visiting China. 

For instance, RFI published a report on Tuesday, titled "Japanese Prime Minister abandons plan to visit the US before Trump's inauguration, stating that a visit to China is extremely important."

And Taiwan-based Chinatimes.com also published a report on Wednesday under the title "Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba plans to delay US visit: Visiting China is of great importance."

Japan attaches great importance to developing relations with both China and the US, Lü Chao, an expert on the East Asian studies at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday, noting that the Ishiba administration has made efforts to improve relations with China since taking office.

Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, said that under the administration of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Japan still considers the Japan-US alliance a priority in its foreign policy. However, Ishiba's administration recognizes developing China-Japan relations aligns with the common interests of both countries, and has made some corrections to the previous administration's one-sided pro-US policy.

"Japan is adopting a dual approach. On one hand, Japan aims to maintain dialogue, communication, and cooperation with China, recognizing that China is an important neighbor and a key economic partner, with closely intertwined economic interests," Xiang said. "On the other hand, Japan views China's comprehensive development and rise as an unprecedented challenge, even a threat, which is a deeply ingrained perception."

"It is hoped that through strengthened in-depth communication across various levels and fields, Japan can establish a comprehensive, accurate and objective understanding of China," the expert said.