Japan protests Chinese government statement it says misquoted PM Ishiba

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan had lodged a protest with China about a statement that misquoted Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's remarks during Friday's meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Japan's top government spokesperson said on Monday.

An announcement by China's foreign ministry on Friday said Ishiba had said Japan "respects" the positions of the Chinese side, as detailed by Wang during the meeting.

Wang stressed Japan should "fulfil important political commitments on historical issues and the Taiwan question," and that Tokyo should send "the right signal to the world with a responsible attitude towards history, the people and the future," according to China's statement on the meeting.

But Japan's foreign ministry said on Saturday that "no such statement was ever made," and asked China to delete the incorrect material.

"We've protested to the Chinese side and immediately requested the removal of the announcement, stating that it was not factual," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a press 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 between the two nations, including the situation in the East China Sea, early release of Japanese nationals detained in China and lifting import restrictions on Japan's marine and agricultural products, Japan's foreign ministry said.

The statement on China's foreign ministry website still included the Ishiba remarks Japan had requested removed.

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