Experts suggest the visit by a delegation of Japanese politicians this week aims to defrost one of the worst rifts with China in decades. The diplomatic spat began last November after Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could be a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, justifying the use of force. Beijing responded with anger, leading to tightened trade restrictions and travel warnings for its citizens against visiting Japan. China also restricted exports of dual-use goods and rare earth materials essential for high-tech products, causing supply disruptions for Japanese automakers like Nissan and Suzuki. According to a former Japanese diplomat, bilateral ties have sunk to their lowest since the 1972 normalization of relations, with communication channels between officials largely cut off.