Ambassador summoned, travel advisory issued: China–Japan tensions hit boiling point

A fresh diplomatic storm has erupted between China and Japan after comments by Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, reignited long-standing tensions over Taiwan. The row began when Takaichi told parliament on November 7 that an armed attack on Taiwan could qualify as a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan. Her remarks, interpreted as suggesting Tokyo could send troops to support Taiwan under the country’s “collective self-defence” framework, prompted immediate anger in Beijing. Despite criticism, Takaichi has insisted she has “no intention of retracting” her statement, though she said she would avoid referring to specific scenarios in future. Beijing, which sees Taiwan as part of its territory, condemned the comments as “erroneous remarks” and warned Japan to “retr