Japan business group in Beijing to improve ties

A former Japanese foreign minister is visiting Beijing with a delegation of business leaders.

Iwaya Takeshi of the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party is part of efforts to try and advance relations with China through economic exchanges.

"We would like to frankly exchange opinions to improve the currently strained Japan-China relations," Iwaya said before leaving for Beijing. "We think that dialogue is especially important during difficult times."

Ties between the two countries have frayed since Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's remark last November about a possible response to a "Taiwan contingency."

The delegation is made up of officials from the Association for the Promotion of International Trade, a Japan-China friendship group. Iwaya serves as its chair.

They plan to meet with senior officials of the Chinese commerce ministry, among others.