Japanese Security Official May Meet China's Top Diplomat
Arrangements are underway for the head of Japan's National Security Secretariat to visit China to meet with the country's top diplomat.
Rising tensions over the Taiwan Strait are expected to be on the agenda in talks between the secretariat's Secretary General Akiba Takeo and Chinese Communist Party Politburo member Yang Jiechi.
Akiba is likely to stress the importance of peace and stability in the region including the Taiwan Strait and call on Beijing to exercise self-restraint.
The Chinese military carried out large-scale drills around Taiwan, following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit there in early August.
The Japanese government says some of the ballistic missiles fired during the drills fell inside Japan's exclusive economic zone.
Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has said it is important to closely communicate with China especially at a time like this.
Akiba and Yang are also expected to discuss how to build constructive and stable bilateral relations, as next month will mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countries.