China's Xi Jinping sent his air force into Japanese airspace and navy into Japan's contiguous zone while Japan was preparing to choose its next leader. Call the moves welcome gestures for Shigeru Ishiba. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Sae Kamae, Yusuke Hinata, and Suzu Takahashi)

Analysis: Xi Jinping has Shigeru Ishiba walking a diplomatic tightrope

Japan inaugurates a new PM while its businesses voice China safety concerns

KATSUJI NAKAZAWA, Nikkei senior staff writer

October 3, 2024 04:00 JST

Katsuji Nakazawa is a Tokyo-based senior staff and editorial writer at Nikkei. He spent seven years in China as a correspondent and later as China bureau chief. He was the 2014 recipient of the Vaughn-Ueda International Journalist prize.