A Chinese volunteer group distribute face masks to local people in Nagoya, Japan, February 20, 2020. /Xinhua
It is unusual that the new Japanese Ambassador to China, Hideo Tarumi, chose to accept his first interview by a Chinese media outlet, the Global Times, after he took office. Since I worked in the media industry in 2014 there have been three Japanese ambassadors to China in succession, but Tarumi is the only one willing to be interviewed by the Global Times.
When I first worked in the media industry, I often met Masato Kitera, then Japanese ambassador to China (2012-16), on various occasions. Kitera seems affable and approachable and often wore a tie with a pattern of Kumamon (famous Japanese mascot) on it.
I had a good personal relationship with Kitera, and have looked for an opportunity to interview him. I contacted the embassy about this issue, but for some reasons, it didn't work out.
Kitera told me privately that he could accept interviews, talk about travel and food, but not about politics.
Yutaka Yokoi, one of the "China School" diplomats, became Japanese ambassador to China in 2016 and delivered a speech in fluent Chinese at a press conference after he took office. At that time, there was a trend of warming relations between China and Japan, and as he was recognized as a "knowing China" ambassador, I thought he was the right person to talk about hot issues between the two countries. Unfortunately, Yokoi is conservative. When I expressed my wish for an interview many times, he always refused and made a big "cross" with both hands, leaving no room for communication.
Many people have told me that in Japanese people's impression, the Global Times is similar to the Japanese conservative media outlet Sankei Shimbun. Therefore, from the perspective of risk aversion, diplomats dare not speak out on the Global Times for fear of being criticized in their own countries.
As a reporter who mainly covers Japan, I have interviewed ambassadors from other countries, but I had never interviewed the Japanese ambassadors to China. I feel sorry for that, and I feel even sorrier that the Japanese ambassadors in China didn't dare to accept such interview for overcaution and indecisiveness.
China-Japan friendship is not difficult to talk about, even if nothing is done, the status quo seems fine. But is this a healthy relationship? Does it really make sense? For some problems, we should speak openly, even if it is noisy. At least we should keep dialogue and communication. In this process, we can get to know each other better, right?
In mid-July, it was disclosed by the Japanese media that then Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Tarumi was expected to be the new Japanese ambassador to China, so I began to pay close attention to his movements.
Although I had never had direct contact with him before, I heard that he has lunch and dinner with others almost every day, and eats at home only once a month. He allegedly has dinner with Chinese more than 300 times a year. These messages suggested that he should be a willing communicator.
So I decided to get an interview with Tarumi. This work started in October, since when my colleagues and I, as well as the Japanese staff, have made considerable preparations and efforts for the interview. Unexpectedly, not only did he accept the interview but he also arranged for the Global Times to be the first Chinese media outlet to interview him.