Japan protests Chinese government statement it says misquoted PM Ishiba

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan had lodged a protestation with China astir a connection that misquoted Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's remarks during Friday's gathering with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Japan's apical authorities spokesperson said connected Monday.

An announcement by China's overseas ministry connected Friday said Ishiba had said Japan "respects" the positions of the Chinese side, arsenic elaborate by Wang during the meeting.

Wang stressed Japan should "fulfil important governmental commitments connected humanities issues and the Taiwan question," and that Tokyo should nonstop "the close awesome to the satellite with a liable cognition towards history, the radical and the future," according to China's connection connected the meeting.

But Japan's overseas ministry said connected Saturday that "no specified connection was ever made," and asked China to delete the incorrect material.

"We've protested to the Chinese broadside and instantly requested the removal of the announcement, stating that it was not factual," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a property conference.

He did not disclose the details, including the Chinese response, but said "it is regrettable that the non-factual announcement was issued".

During the meeting, Ishiba stressed the necessity of reducing concerns and issues betwixt the 2 nations, including the concern successful the East China Sea, aboriginal merchandise of Japanese nationals detained successful China and lifting import restrictions connected Japan's marine and cultivation products, Japan's overseas ministry said.

The connection connected China's overseas ministry website inactive included the Ishiba remarks Japan had requested removed.

(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko and Mariko Katsumura. Editing by Gerry Doyle)