Japan has lodged a formal protest with China over a statement that misquoted Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s remarks during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi last Friday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced on Monday.

China’s foreign ministry had claimed that Ishiba expressed Japan’s "respect" for China’s positions, as outlined by Wang during the discussions. The Chinese statement also emphasized the need for Japan to uphold political commitments regarding historical issues and Taiwan, urging Tokyo to send the "right signal" to the world.

However, Japan’s foreign ministry refuted this claim on Saturday, stating that "no such statement was ever made" and called for the removal of the inaccurate content. Hayashi confirmed that Japan had formally protested and requested the immediate deletion of the statement, calling its release "regrettable."

During the meeting, Ishiba reportedly highlighted key concerns between the two nations, including tensions in the East China Sea, the early release of Japanese nationals detained in China, and the lifting of Chinese import restrictions on Japanese marine and agricultural products.

China’s foreign ministry defended its statement, calling the meeting "important and beneficial," reflecting "mutual respect." Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun questioned Japan’s response, stating, "Isn't it normal to respect each other's positions in state-to-state relations?"

As of Monday afternoon, the disputed remarks attributed to Ishiba remained on China’s foreign ministry website.