On This Day

China and Japan sign a peace treaty

The Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and the People's Republic of China is a peace treaty concluded between the People's Republic of China and Japan on August 12, 1978.

The Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and the People's Republic of China is a peace treaty concluded between the People's Republic of China and Japan on August 12, 1978. The treaty was signed in Beijing by Huang Hua (1913 – 2010), Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, and Sunao Sonoda (1913 – 1984), Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan. The treaty went into effect on October 23, 1978, with the state visit of Vice Premier of the PRC Deng Xiaoping (1904 – 1997) to Japan. The treaty had its origin in the Joint Communiqué of the Government of Japan and the Government of the People's Republic of China of 1972. Negotiations on a formal peace treaty began in 1974, but were drawn out over various disputes until 1978.

Historical Significance

The Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and the People's Republic of China is a peace treaty concluded between the People's Republic of China and Japan on August 12, 1978.

Events Before

  1. Erroll Garner dies

    Erroll Garner dies

  2. Belgium undergoes a major municipal reorganization and reapportions 2,359 communities into 596

    Belgium undergoes a major municipal reorganization and reapportions 2,359 communities into 596

  3. Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs incorporate Apple Computer, Inc.

    Apple Inc., originally Apple Computer, Inc., is an American multinational corporation that creates and markets consumer electronics and attendant computer software, and is a digital distributor of…

  4. American film director Martin Scorsese (34) divorces Julia Cameron (28) after 1 year of marriage

    Megalopolis is a 2024 American epic science fiction drama film written, directed, and produced by Francis Ford Coppola.

  5. Miniseries "Roots" premieres on ABC

    Miniseries "Roots" premieres on ABC

Events After

  1. International Year of the Child begins (declared by UNESCO)

    International Year of the Child begins (declared by UNESCO)

  2. Village People's "Y.M.C.A." becomes their only UK #1 single; at its peak, it sells over 150,000 copies per day

    Village People's "Y.M.C.A." becomes their only UK #1 single; at its peak, it sells over 150,000 copies per day

  3. BBC landmark nature series "Life on Earth" presented by David Attenborough first shown on BBC One

    Life on Earth: A Natural History by David Attenborough is a British television natural history series made by the BBC in association with Warner Bros. Television and Reiner Moritz Productions.

  4. Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran after 15 years in exile

    Ruhollah Khomeini's return to Iran on 1 February 1979, after 14 years in exile, was an important event in the Iranian Revolution.

  5. Actor Max Von Sydow (49) divorces actress Christina Olin after 28 years of marriage

    Actor Max Von Sydow (49) divorces actress Christina Olin after 28 years of marriage

More from the 1970s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on August 12, 1978?
The Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and the People's Republic of China is a peace treaty concluded between the People's Republic of China and Japan on August 12, 1978. The treaty was signed in Beijing by Huang Hua (1913 – 2010), Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, and Sunao Sonoda (1913 – 1984), Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan. The treaty went into effect on October 23, 1978, with the state visit of Vice Premier of the PRC Deng Xiaoping (1904 – 1997) to Japan.
Why is China and Japan sign a peace treaty significant?
The Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and the People's Republic of China is a peace treaty concluded between the People's Republic of China and Japan on August 12, 1978.

Explore More