New Japanese ambassador hospitalized

The newly appointed Japanese ambassador to China, Shinichi Nishimiya, has been rushed to a hospital after collapsing in Tokyo, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Nishimiya's appointment was approved by the government on Tuesday to replace current Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa. The reshuffle comes at a time when the two countries are embroiled in a dispute over a group of islands in the East China Sea, local media reported.

Analysts said Tokyo has placed high expectations on Nishimiya to deal with bilateral spats and prevent Japanese companies' markets from further shrinking in China.