Japan, China to Resume Reciprocal Visits of Defense Officers After 4 Years

Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) bring down the Japanese national flag in the early evening at the JGSDF Miyako camp on Miyako Island, Okinawa prefecture, Japan, on April 20, 2022. Issei Kato/Reuters

Japan and China will restart mutual visits by their defense officers in July after a four-year hiatus amid strained relations, the program’s organizer said on May 30.

Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) will send 10 senior officers to visit China in July, while the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) members will visit Japan in the fall, the Sasakawa Japan-China Friendship Fund (SJCFF) stated.