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July 4, 2008: Japanese Supreme Court upholds lower court decision dismissing claims for compensation raised by wartime Chinese forced laborers in port of Niigata. The court, while acknowledging abuse occurred, cited expiration of statute of limitation. July 4, 2008: Taiwan National University Maritime Research ship intrudes into Japanese territorial waters in the vicinity of the Senkaku Islands. Ignoring warning of Japanese Coast Guard ship, the Taiwanese ship remains in the area for three hours. July 8, 2008: Foreign Minister Komura Masahiko meets President Hu Jintao in Sapporo and asks for China’s assistance in resolving the Japanese abductee issue with North Korea. Japan-China Relations 117 October 2008 July 8, 2008: President Hu meets in Sapporo with members of Japanese search and rescue and medical teams who participated in Sichuan earthquake relief operations. July 8, 2008: Japanese Supreme Court rejects compensation suit filed by Chinese who were forced laborers in World War II, stating that plaintiff’s rights to seek compensation were forfeited in 1972 Japan-China Joint Statement. July 8, 2008: Japanese government informs LDP and Komeito that Prime Minister Fukuda will attend opening ceremony at Beijing Olympics. July 9, 2008: Prime Minster Fukuda and President Hu meet on sidelines of the G8 summit. July 16-18, 2008: LDP Vice President Yamasaki Taku leads delegation to China and meets Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Dawei and Chairman of the CCP External Liaison Department Wang Jiarui. July 21, 2008: Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou meets delegation of Japanese lawmakers. July 22, 2008: Kuomintang Chairman Wu Po-hsiung meets delegation of Japanese lawmakers. July 22, 2008: Foreign Ministers Komura and Yang Jiechi meet on the sidelines of ASEAN meeting in Singapore. Japan, China, and South Korea agree to set up ASEAN assistance fund to support agriculture and information technology development. July 30, 2008: Japanese government announces that Prime Minster Fukuda will travel to the Beijing Olympics in Air Self Defense Force U4 multipurpose aircraft. Aug. 4, 2008: Japanese reporters, while covering unrest in Xinjiang are roughed up and detained by Chinese police. Aug. 5, 2008: Prime Minister Fukuda indicates that he does not intend to visit Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15. Aug. 5, 2008: Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan calls on Beijing to lift restrictions on Internet access for correspondents covering the Olympics. Aug. 7, 2008: Shanghai court hears opening argument in a suit brought by Japanese author Watanbe Junichi against Beijing Publishing Company alleging violations of author’s rights. Aug. 8, 2008: Fukuda meets President Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao at the opening of Beijing Olympics. Aug. 12, 2008: Thirtieth anniversary of Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship is celebrated at Chinese Embassy in Tokyo. Japan-China Relations 118 October 2008 Aug. 15, 2008: Three Cabinet ministers visit Yasukuni Shrine along with former Prime Ministers Koizumi and Abe. Aug. 17, 2008: Foreign Ministers Komura and Yang meet in Beijing. Komura also meets State Councilor Dai Bingguo. Aug. 17, 2008: Chairman of the War Bereaved Families Association expresses concerns over Class-A war criminals continuing enshrinement at Yasukuni Shrine. Aug. 19, 2008: Taiwan announces appointment of Feng-Ji-tai as envoy to Japan. Aug. 21, 2008: Japanese Foreign Ministry announces Kobe as the site of Japan-China-ROK heads of government meeting scheduled for Sept. 21. Aug. 21, 2008: Japan’s Finance Ministry reports July 2008 exports to China climbing to ¥1.29 trillion, a 16.8 percent increase, exceeding for the first time value of exports to the U.S. since government began recording monthly figures. Aug. 28, 2008: ASEAN Plus 3 Economic Ministerial is held in Singapore. Aug. 29-31, 2008: Taiwan and Japan hold compensation negotiations for June incident involving Taiwanese vessel and Japanese Coast Guard ship. Talks end without agreement on sum while lawyers for both sides to continue negotiations. Sept. 1, 2008: Prime Minister Fukuda announces his resignation Sept. 2, 2008: Chinese Foreign Ministry praises Fukuda for significant contributions to the development of bilateral relations. Sept 2, 2008: Japanese Foreign Ministry announces postponement of Sept. 21 Japan-China-ROK summit as a result of Fukuda resignation. Sept. 2, 2008: Japan and Macau reach a customs agreement. Sept. 5, 2008: Japanese Defense White Paper 2008 is released. Sept. 6, 2008: Director General for Asian and Oceanic Affairs Saiki Akitaka meets Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei in Beijing to discuss Six-Party Talks. Sept. 7, 2008: President Hu meets with Kato Koichi, chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Association and former LDP secretary general. Sept. 14, 2008: Japan Defense Ministry reports sighting of an unidentified submarine in Bungo Strait between Shikoku and Kyushu. Japan-China Relations 119 October 2008 Japan-China Relations 120 October 2008 Sept. 16, 2008: China’s Foreign Ministry objects to Japanese media reports suggesting submarine sighted in Bungo Strait is Chinese. Sept. 16, 2008: Minister of Defense Hayashi Yoshimasa tells reporters that government has no information as to the nationality of the submarine and calls off a search for the submarine. Sept. 16, 2008: Kyodo News reports that Chinese investigators have identified nine suspects in frozen gyoza case. Sept. 16-17, 2008: Fourth meeting of the Tokyo-Beijing Forum is held in Tokyo. Approximately 100 leading political, economic, academic, and journalist leaders participate in the conference aimed at enhancing Japan-China cooperation. Sept. 17, 2008: Chief Cabinet Secretary Machimura denies reports that elements of the government believed the submarine to be Chinese. He also tells reporters that Chinese authorities have assured the government that poisoned milk products were not exported to Japan. Sept. 18, 2008: President Hu meets visiting Keidanren delegation and calls for strengthening exchanges on macroeconomic policy and the international environment. Sept. 20, 2008: Japanese food company Maudai recalls imported Chinese milk products suspected of contamination. Sept. 22, 2008: Aso Taro elected LDP president. China’s Xinhua News Agency expects Aso to focus on economic recovery initiatives and does not mention foreign policy. Sept. 22-25, 2008: Former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui visits Okinawa. He tells a dinner audience that Senkaku Islands are Japanese territory. Sept. 24, 2008: The Diet elects Aso to be prime minister. Sept. 24, 2008: Members of Japan-China Economic Association visit China and meet senior Chinese officials to express concerns with about Chinese plan to initiate in 2009 a new system that would force disclosure of proprietary information in IT equipment. Sept. 25, 2008: Kyodo News reports that Japanese food makers Ezaki Gilco and Nissin Foods have suspended imports of Chinese milk products. Sept. 25, 2008: Prime Minister Aso addresses UN General Assembly and cites China and South Korea as important partners.