Japan tells China to “show respect” when addressing PM

Japan says Beijing needs to "show appropriate respect"

after a Chinese spokesperson failed to use the Japanese

Prime Minster Sanae Takaichi's title, instead addressing to her only

by her first and last names, at a press conference.

The comments comes from Japanese Foreign

Ministry Spokesperson Toshihiro Kitamura, who says it is

"a matter of international protocol" and a "natural" show of respect

to use a leader's title.

Kitamura did not directly naming his Chinese counterpart,

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun, who is said

to have been hosting the press conference in question.

Kitamura has taken the opportunity to "convey this stance to China."

During a press briefing today, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson

Mao Ning says China has repeated expressed its stance on the current

Sino-Japan relation without going into further details to address

the topic.