Ishiba pens letter to Xi as Japan aims to avoid trade crossfire

As Tokyo seeks to sidestep trade tensions between China and the U.S., a high-level Japanese delegation is set to send a letter from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The chief of the ruling party’s junior coalition partner, Tetsuo Saito, will deliver the letter during his visit, meeting with Liu Jianchao, among other dignitaries, as Tokyo navigates the delicate diplomatic waters of trade disputes.