Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calls for peaceful resolution to Hong Kong crisis in meeting with Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan

Abe stresses importance of ‘one country, two systems’ framework and asks for ‘positive’ response in case of detained professor

Two leaders use occasion of Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement to lay groundwork for Xi Jinping’s state visit next spring

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Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe greets Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan at the Akasaka State Guesthouse in Tokyo. Photo: Jiji Press/ AFP

Published: 4:32pm, 23 Oct 2019Updated: 4:32pm, 23 Oct 2019

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his “deep concern” over unrest in Hong Kong during a meeting with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan and called for a peaceful resolution.

Abe stressed the importance of the current “one country, two systems” arrangement, adding restraint and dialogue are needed, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

The prime minister also asked Wang, who is known to be close to President Xi Jinping, to handle the case of a Japanese professor who was detained in mainland China in a “positive manner”.

Wang was visiting Japan for Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement ceremony on Tuesday.

The meeting of the Japanese and Chinese leaders came amid a recent thaw in ties that both sides say have returned to a “normal track” after a series of disagreements over territorial disputes and their wartime history.

Abe and Wang agreed to step up preparations for Xi’s state visit to Japan scheduled for next spring, and to make it a “meaningful” one, according to the ministry.