Japan announces delegation to Beijing ‘Belt and Road’ summit

Toshihiro Nikai, Secretary General of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), will attend China’s ‘Belt and Road’ summit in Beijing in May, it was announced at a Tokyo news conference today.

Hiroshige Seko, Japan’s Trade Minister, has also received an invitation to attend, and Sadayuki Sakakibara, Chairman of business lobby Keidanren, will also be represented. The summit convenes heads of state and senior ministers to propel Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision of a new silk route through Asia and Europe.

Japan is a major stakeholder in the Asian Development Bank, which signed an MoU for joint financing projects with the newly formed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

“We remain cautious about AIIB and need to examine its transparency even more closely, since China plays a dominant role in its governance,” said Masahiko Shibayama adviser to Prime Minister Abe, reports Reuters.

Nikai said that closer co-operation with China was vital due to security concerns over North Korea.