Arrangements have started for Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan to attend the Sokuirei-Seiden-no-gi ceremony related to the enthronement of the Emperor with a visit to Japan in the latter half of October, the Yomiuri Shimbun has learned from sources close to Japan-China relations.
Before Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Japan next spring as a state guest, China apparently aims to promote high-level exchanges of visits between the two countries to show a stance of attaching more importance to Japan.
In 1990, then Chinese Vice Premier Wu Xueqian, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China, attended the same ceremony when it took place during the Heisei era.
This time, in response to Japan's request, China is planning to send Wang, who is treated as a higher-ranking leader than a member of just the Politburo. During his stay in Japan, Wang is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and senior officials of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Wang led the crackdown on corruption that brought about the downfall of Xi's political opponents when he served as secretary of the party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection during Xi's first term (2012-17). Before that, he was known for putting an end to the confusion caused by SARS while deputy mayor of Beijing.
Even after stepping down from the Politburo Standing Committee, which is higher in rank than the Politburo, he is treated as de facto eighth ranked after the seven Standing Committee members.
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