China Drops 'Prime Minister' Title for Takaichi... Why China Referred to Japan's Leader by Name Only

Continued Downgrading of Title After Remarks on Taiwan Contingency
Focus on Whether a China-Japan Meeting Will Take Place at the Shenzhen APEC

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently omitted the title of Japanese Prime Minister when referring to Sanae Takaichi in an official briefing.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at the 2025 Gyeongju APEC Summit. Photo by AP-Yonhap News

According to Hong Kong’s Sing Tao Daily on October 3, Chinese Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesperson Guo Jiaqun referred to Prime Minister Takaichi simply as “Sanae Takaichi” during a regular briefing on September 30, when answering a question about discussions regarding Japan’s possession of nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered submarines.

It was later verified that the official briefing record published on the Chinese foreign ministry website also did not include the term “prime minister,” making it clear that this was not merely a slip of the tongue by the spokesperson. In addition, Guo referred to Defense Minister Koizumi as the “current defense head,” which analysts interpret as indicating deep-seated resentment in the Chinese government toward Prime Minister Takaichi.

In October of last year, when Takaichi was newly inaugurated, China used the word “shusho,” the Japanese term for “prime minister.” However, after Prime Minister Takaichi made remarks in November of last year about intervening in the event of a Taiwan contingency, relations between the two countries cooled rapidly. Since then, China has resorted to referring to Takaichi as the “Japanese ruling authorities” or “current Japanese leader,” rather than by her official title.

Sing Tao Daily explained, “Diplomatic rhetoric is the most refined ‘word game’ today, and how leaders are addressed can serve as a barometer for bilateral relations.” The media also pointed out that even when former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Yasukuni Shrine for six consecutive years from 2001 to 2006, his title of ‘prime minister’ was never omitted.

The outlet noted that omitting the title and using only the name amounts to a diplomatic “demotion” for Japan. It suggests that China considers Prime Minister Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan an issue of national sovereignty far more serious than any other diplomatic dispute.

Amid this, attention turns to the possibility of a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit to be held in Shenzhen, China, next month. While it is still expected that Prime Minister Takaichi will attend the APEC Summit, some predict that the likelihood of a China-Japan leaders’ summit has diminished.

There is even speculation that, as China shows open hostility by referring to the leader of a diplomatic partner by name alone, Chinese authorities may decide not to invite Prime Minister Takaichi to the APEC Summit.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.