Japan yesterday criticized a Chinese diplomat for “extremely inappropriate” remarks seemingly directed at Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, after she suggested that Tokyo could take military action if Beijing attacked Taiwan.
Beijing defended the “personal post” made by the envoy in an escalating war of words with Japan’s new leader that threatens to strain relations between the historic rivals after a period of relative calm.
The US ambassador to Tokyo also weighed in, saying Chinese Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian (薛劍) had threatened Takaichi.
In a post on X on Saturday, Xue shared a news article about Takaichi’s remarks about Taiwan and commented “the dirty neck that sticks itself in must be cut off.” The post was later deleted.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said that while the intent of the post was not entirely clear, Xue had made “multiple inappropriate statements” and that Tokyo has repeatedly asked Beijing to take appropriate action.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lin Jian (林劍) told a regular news conference in Beijing yesterday that Xue’s post was a response to Takaichi’s “wrongful and dangerous” remarks on Taiwan, urging Tokyo to “take a hard look at its historical responsibilities.”
In Taipei, Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said that the Taiwanese government “takes seriously the threatening remarks made by Chinese officials toward Japan.”
“Such behavior clearly exceeds diplomatic etiquette,” Kuo said in a statement.
Takaichi told the Japanese parliament on Friday that an attack on Taiwan could be deemed “a situation threatening Japan’s survival,” a legal term introduced in 2015 that allows Japan’s prime ministers to deploy the country’s Self-Defense Forces.
Until now, Japanese prime ministers have avoided mentioning Taiwan when publicly discussing scenarios that could trigger a military response.
The diplomatic spat comes less than a month after Takaichi took office and less than two weeks after she angered Beijing by posting a picture of a meeting with a Taiwanese representative at a regional summit in Seoul earlier this month.
She also met Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) there, with both leaders agreeing to pursue constructive and stable ties.
Takaichi yesterday said her remarks were “hypothetical” and that she would refrain from making similar comments in parliament again.
“The mask slips — again,” US Ambassador to Japan George Glass wrote on X, adding that Xue’s comment threatened Takaichi and the Japanese people.
US President Donald Trump has said Xi has told him he would not invade Taiwan while the Republican president is in office. Trump has yet to approve any new US arms sales to Taipei.
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