Xi leaves Japan uncertain on China summit at APEC

What happened: Japan hopes to arrange a summit between Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting. A former foreign minister's trip to Beijing sent mixed messages on prospects of a thaw. Why it matters: The chill in bilateral ties since last year makes it difficult for Tokyo to rely on precedent for holding the meeting.

Japan hopes to arrange a summit between Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting. A former foreign minister's trip to Beijing sent mixed messages on prospects of a thaw.

The chill in bilateral ties since last year makes it difficult for Tokyo to rely on precedent for holding the meeting.