When Japan’s newly promoted Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi , the nation’s first female leader, first met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, she said she wanted to pursue a “mutually beneficial” relationship as well as to “deepen their personal ties.”

“As Japan and China are important partners, the long-term, stable and healthy development of bilateral ties aligns with the common expectations of both our peoples as well as the international community,” Xi said.

But just two weeks later, the neighboring countries have fallen into a diplomatic spat that neither side seems eager to climb out from.

In Nov. 7 parliamentary remarks, Takaichi appeared to veer from Japan’s policy of “strategic ambiguity” towards the self-governed island of Taiwan, suggesting that an attack on Taiwan could amo

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