Japan and China on Monday welcomed the restart of reciprocal business travel, with expectations the easing of border controls and compulsory 14-day quarantine requirements will expedite the post-coronavirus recoveries of the world's second- and third-largest economies.
"It comes under difficult circumstances, but I expect the (resumption of travel) will contribute to promoting human exchanges," Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said in a message read at an online forum attended by former and current government officials and corporate executives from the two countries.
Motegi's Chinese counterpart Wang Yi said in a video message the relaxation of travel restrictions "will accelerate the pace of resumption of companies' manufacturing activities amid the pandemic and I believe it will provide an important support for the recovery and development of (the Japanese and Chinese) economies."