PM Suga Holds Talks With Regional Power Leaders Xi And Modi

Japan's newly-installed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has held his first phone calls with the leaders of Asia's largest economic and military powers: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

• The last time Xi spoke to Japan's prime minister was in December 2019 when Suga's predecessor Shinzo Abe met with the Chinese president in Changdu.
• With regards to Sino-Japanese relations, Suga is seen as having similar views to Abe, in so far as he also supports the potential reform of clause 9 of the Japanese constitution that would allow the country to establish a standing armed forces. Tensions between China and Japan remain elevated over the disputed Senkuku/Diaoyudao islands.
• Xi had been due to visit Japan on a state visit in the spring but this was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Both sides have stated they remain keen to rearrange the visit.
• Suga and Modi are said to have talked about continuing to boost relations between India and Japan. India itself has recently experienced heightened tensions with China over a border dispute in the Himalayas.