China has urged its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan, intensifying a diplomatic dispute triggered by remarks from Tokyo’s new prime minister about a potential military response to an attack on Taiwan.
The warning was issued on Friday in a post by China’s embassy in Japan, which accused Japanese leaders of making “blatantly provocative remarks regarding Taiwan” and claimed the comments had “severely damaged the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges”. The embassy added that the situation posed “significant risks to the personal safety and lives of Chinese citizens in Japan” and advised against travel “in the near future”.
The move follows comments made by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Japan’s parliament on 7 November. Takaichi stated that the use of force against Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing, could warrant a military response from Tokyo. Japan later clarified that its position on Taiwan remained unchanged, but the remarks have nonetheless sparked a sharp reaction from China.
Beijing announced it had summoned Japan’s ambassador to lodge a formal protest. In turn, Tokyo said it had summoned China’s ambassador after an inflammatory online post by the Chinese consul general in Osaka, Xue Jian. The post, which has since been removed, appeared to refer to Takaichi with the phrase “(cutting) off that dirty neck”. Japan’s ruling party has since passed a resolution calling for Xue to be declared persona non grata.
The dispute underscores the fragile nature of Sino-Japanese relations. Although the two countries are major trading partners, historical mistrust and ongoing tensions over territorial disputes and military expansion frequently strain ties. Taiwan, which Japan occupied until 1945, remains a particularly sensitive issue. Beijing insists the island is part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.
Takaichi, a conservative politician known for her hawkish stance on China, has moderated her tone since assuming office last month. Nevertheless, her comments last week that an armed attack on Taiwan could justify sending Japanese troops under the principle of “collective self-defence” have placed Tokyo and Beijing at odds.
“If an emergency in Taiwan entails battleships and the use of force, then that could constitute a situation threatening the survival [of Japan], any way you slice it,” she told parliament.
Japan’s security legislation, passed in 2015, allows the country to exercise the right to collective self-defence under certain conditions, including when there is a clear danger to its survival. While the law provides a legal framework for military action in support of allies, Japanese leaders have traditionally avoided making explicit references to Taiwan in this context.
Previous prime ministers have maintained what is known as “strategic ambiguity”, refraining from direct statements about Taiwan’s defence. The United States has long adopted a similar approach, deliberately leaving unclear whether it would deploy its military to defend the island in the event of an attack.
Despite the backlash, Takaichi has indicated she has no intention of retracting her statement. She insisted her remarks were consistent with Japan’s longstanding policy, though she pledged to avoid referring to specific scenarios in future.
The diplomatic spat has already had tangible consequences, with China’s travel warning likely to affect tourism and business exchanges between the two countries. The advisory reflects Beijing’s broader strategy of signalling displeasure through restrictions on people-to-people contact, a tactic it has employed in past disputes with other nations.
For Japan, the controversy highlights the delicate balance between demonstrating resolve in the face of regional security threats and managing relations with its largest trading partner. For China, the episode serves as a reminder of the sensitivity surrounding Taiwan and the lengths to which Beijing will go to defend its claim over the island.
As tensions rise, both governments face pressure to prevent the dispute from escalating further. Yet with neither side willing to back down, the episode has reinforced the deep divisions that continue to define relations between Asia’s two largest economies.
