China has advised its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan after a diplomatic feud with Taiwan escalated.
The row triggered after Tokyo’s new premier, Sanae Takaichi, told the country’s parliament on November 7 that any use of force by China against the self-ruled island nation of Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo.
Takaichi, however, clarified later that her comments were based on assumptions, and that the position of her country on Taiwan “remains unchanged”. However, she hinted that she has no intention of retracting her statement, adding that it was “consistent” with Tokyo’s “long-standing policy”.
On Friday, however, Beijing said it had summoned Japan’s ambassador to China, and issued an advisory asking its citizens not to travel to the country.
“Recently, Japanese leaders have made blatantly provocative remarks regarding Taiwan, severely damaging the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges,” the Chinese embassy said.
In response, Japan too summoned China’s ambassador in the midst of an “inappropriate” and now-removed online post.
In response to the Japanese Prime Minister’s comments, the Chinese consul general in Osaka, Xue Jian, had posted about “(cutting) off that dirty neck”, apparently referring to Takaichi.
Takaichi has since said she would refrain from referring to “specific scenarios” in the future.
The Chinese foreign ministry on Friday maintained that the comments made by the Japanese PM were “unacceptable and malicious”.
Other statements from the Chinese embassy in Japan, the consul general, and the foreign ministry stated that “Tokyo must not resort to the use of such language, or else it will have to contend with China’s stern response.”
China claims Taiwan to be an inseparable part under the ‘One-China Policy’, a bone of contention with the US.
However, Japan, which lacks military capabilities against China’s mammoth military arsenal, cannot afford to sever ties with Beijing at a time when Japan’s internal crises are looming large over the country.
