Japan plans to convey its concern to Britain over what it sees as London's closer ties with Beijing focusing on bilateral economic benefits but overlooking issues of maritime assertiveness and human rights.
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to hold telephone talks with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, possibly later this week, and tell him Tokyo thinks it is undesirable for Britain to boost relations with China without criticizing the Asian country's behavior in the East and South China seas and its human rights record, government sources said Monday.
Britain sealed investment and trade deals with China last week worth about $61.35 billion during President Xi Jinping's visit to London.
Military tensions have heightened recently between China and the United States in the South China Sea, where Beijing has been conducting land reclamation in disputed areas.
Kishida is expected to press Hammond on China's actions in the East and South China seas, and say there is a problem from the standpoint of the rule of law and freedom of navigation, while stressing China is not doing enough to tackle its human rights problems, one of the sources said.
Japan and China are at odds over the Senkaku Islands and resource development in the East China Sea.
One of the Foreign Ministry sources said that ties between Britain and China are expected to remain close. Britain was among the first countries to announce in March that it was joining the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.