Japanese Foreign Ministry confirms Shinichi Nishimiya , 60 , died on Thursday . Nishimiya was due to replace the current Japanese envoy in Beijing -- Akira Niwa . The islands were administered by the U.S. occupation force after the war . His death comes amid worsening relations between China and Japan . Both countries claim sovereignty over a group of islands in the East China Sea .
Japanese Foreign Ministry confirms Shinichi Nishimiya , 60 , died on Thursday . Nishimiya was due to replace the current Japanese envoy in Beijing -- Akira Niwa . His death comes amid worsening relations between China and Japan . Both countries claim sovereignty over a group of islands in the East China Sea .