Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping last held bilateral talks in October 2025 on the sidelines of APEC. Relations have since remained strained over Takaichi’s November 2025 remarks linking a Taiwan contingency to potential Japanese Self-Defense Forces involvement, prompting Beijing to demand corrections and suspend formal leader engagement. Recent unofficial Japanese delegations, including former officials, have visited Beijing to urge normalization ahead of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties, while multilayered communication on issues such as the Senkaku Islands, rare-earth exports, and maritime activities continues. Upcoming multilateral events, including the November 2026 APEC summit hosted by Xi in Shenzhen and the December G20, represent scheduled opportunities for any sideline encounter within typical resolution windows.