Japanese foreign minister urges China to release imprisoned citizen

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi met his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang in Beijing and urged the Chinese government to promptly release a detained Japanese national. Hayashi’s visit was the first by a Japanese foreign minister in over three years as the two nations seek common ground amid regional tensions. China responded that it would “handle the case according to the law”. The minister also raised concerns about China’s increased military activity, collaboration with Russia, and maritime presence in the East China Sea.