Toshimitsu Motegi, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs. EPA Yonhap News. 

The Japanese government has stated it has responded to China's strong condemnation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meeting with Taiwan's representative on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongju.

According to Kyodo News and other sources, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at a press conference on the 4th that the meeting between Prime Minister Takaichi and the Taiwan representative "is not contrary to Japan's stance of maintaining official relations with Taiwan on a non-governmental working level."

He explained that in the past, Japanese prime ministers have met with Taiwanese counterparts on multiple occasions on the occasion of APEC summits.

This Japanese stance is known to have been explained to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs by an official from the Japanese Embassy in China.

Prime Minister Takaichi met with Lin Sin-yi, Senior Advisor to the President's Office, who attended as Taiwan's representative, for 25 minutes in Gyeongju on the 1st.

In response, China claimed that it "severely violates the 'One China' principle" and "sends the wrong signal to 'Taiwan independence' forces, with extremely bad nature and influence."

Meanwhile, regarding the death of Kim Yong-nam, former Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, who held a significant position in North Korea's foreign affairs, Foreign Minister Motegi said, "I sincerely pray for the repose of his soul."

Kim Yong-nam greeted former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at Pyongyang Airport when he visited North Korea in 2002.

Yonhap News