Visitors to the 4th China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) walk past the booths of JETRO and the Japan-China Agricultural Business Promotion Association on June 25, 2026. Photo: Liu Yang/GT

A Japanese business group is considering sending a delegation to China for a four-day trip in late September, Kyodo News reported. A Chinese industry analyst said the planned visit underscores the Japanese business sector's expectations for sound and stable relations with China, one of Japan's major trading partners, and its eagerness to strengthen economic ties with the Chinese market and business partners.

The plan for the visit came after the annual visit originally slated for last month was postponed due to the death of its leader Yohei Kono, Kyodo News reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Former Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya is expected to succeed Kono as the chief of Japan's Association for the Promotion of International Trade as early as this month, the sources said.

The planned visit comes as Tokyo reportedly seeks to improve ties with Beijing amid worsening China-Japan relations due to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on the Taiwan question.

Osamu Onodera, chief representative for China and Northeast Asia of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), told the Global Times on Thursday that he hopes that "the visit takes place and that they will have an opportunity to meet with government leaders, as has been the case in the past."

"Stable relations between the two countries are extremely important for Japanese companies operating in China," Onodera noted. While the vast majority of Japanese companies operating in China remain committed to continuing and, in some cases, expanding their businesses in China, if unstable conditions persist, they could affect business and investment decisions, said the business representative.

Onodera also referred to a statement made at a recent press conference by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, which said that "Japanese companies in China hope that despite bilateral tensions, economic and cultural exchanges will continue."

The push by Japan's business community to arrange a visit to China reflects Japanese companies' expectations for maintaining a stable China-Japan relationship, as China, one of Japan's largest trading partners, plays a vital role in Japanese companies' global supply chain strategies and market expansion, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Amid a complex international economic environment, keeping communication channels between China and Japan open serves the common interests of businesses in both countries and beyond, Zhou said.

Moreover, Japan should also recognize that maintaining a healthy and stable China-Japan relationship is in the long-term interests of Japanese companies and the country's economic development, the Chinese expert said, noting that the two countries have a broad foundation for cooperation in areas such as advanced manufacturing, new energy and the electronics industry.

In June, a total of 10 Japanese business chambers attended the 4th China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing, demonstrating that they continue to attach great importance to the Chinese market.

JETRO participated in each of the three previous editions of the CISCE and this year marked its largest presence at the expo, with 25 Japanese companies showcasing products and solutions in areas including healthcare and elderly care. Participating firms include several prominent Japanese enterprises, such as Panasonic, AGC, Suntory, Sumitomo Electric, and Mizuho Bank, among others.

"China's mega-sized market is making an increasingly important contribution to global economic growth. Therefore, beyond supply chain cooperation, the Chinese market can also provide long-term and stable development opportunities for companies from around the world, including Japanese enterprises," said Zhou, noting that this has become particularly important amid growing uncertainty in the current international trade environment.

Recently, in response to a question raised by a reporter from a Japanese media outlet on how China views the current state of people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan, and what expectations China holds for future exchanges, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference on June 26 that Japanese political leaders should listen carefully to voices from Japan's business community, improve bilateral relations and enhance cooperation with China, confront the root causes of current issues, reflect on and correct past missteps, demonstrate sincerity in improving ties with China through concrete actions, and create the necessary conditions for normal exchanges between the two countries.