**Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the October 2025 APEC summit in South Korea, shortly after Takaichi took office.** Relations deteriorated sharply afterward when Takaichi stated in parliament that a Chinese military operation against Taiwan could constitute a “situation threatening Japan’s survival,” potentially justifying Japanese collective self-defense measures under existing legislation. Beijing condemned the remarks as dangerous, halted congratulatory messaging, and imposed or maintained economic and diplomatic pressures including rare earth export controls and reduced tourism flows. By mid-2026, Xi publicly criticized Japan’s defense buildup and “remilitarization” during his May summit with U.S. President Trump, while Japanese officials continued to signal interest in renewed high-level contact. The next scheduled opportunity is the November 2026 APEC summit in China, where both leaders are expected to attend; however, reporting from June 2026 indicated a low likelihood of a bilateral meeting given the absence of meaningful de-escalation and the structural focus of Chinese policy on Taiwan and regional security competition. Trader sentiment for any “meet by” resolution therefore centers on whether Beijing chooses tactical stabilization ahead of APEC or maintains distance amid ongoing frictions over Taiwan contingencies, Japanese security policy, and economic coercion.