China's commerce ministry stated that trade cooperation with Japan has been severely damaged by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan, urging her to retract them. The diplomatic spat intensified after Takaichi told parliament on November 7 that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response. Beijing has reinstated a ban on Japanese seafood imports and called for a travel boycott.
New Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's off-the-cuff remark on November 7 in parliament—that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response from Tokyo—has sparked a major diplomatic row. China's commerce ministry spokesperson He Yongqian said at a news conference, "Prime Minister Takaichi's openly erroneous remarks concerning Taiwan have fundamentally undermined the political foundation of China-Japan relations and severely damaged bilateral economic and trade exchanges." Beijing urged retraction or warned of resolute measures, with all consequences to be borne by Japan.
In response, China indicated it would ban all imports of Japanese seafood, reinstating restrictions recently partially eased after the 2023 Fukushima treated water dispute. Historical precedents include a 2010 rare earth export halt over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands incident. UN COMTRADE data shows China as Japan's second-largest export market, importing about $125 billion in goods in 2024, mainly industrial equipment, semiconductors, and automobiles.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass posted on X: "Coercion is a hard habit to break for Beijing. But just as the United States stood by Japan during China’s last unwarranted ban on Japanese seafood, we will be there for our ally again this time." Taiwan President Lai Ching-te demonstrated support by posting photos of a sushi lunch featuring yellowtail from Kagoshima and scallops from Hokkaido, captioning it "Today's lunch is sushi and miso soup." Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung told reporters, "China's use of economic coercion and military intimidation to bully other nations are already too numerous to mention individually," adding support for Japan at this critical juncture.
Japanese restaurant owners in Shanghai, like Takashi Ito of Merase and Kazuaki Sone of Hyakumanben, expressed pain over the flare-up. Ito said, "Every time a major incident like this happens, we are in great pain because our hearts rise and fall as the relationship between Japan and China rattles every time." Cancellations have occurred, though personal safety concerns are low. A Japan-China-South Korea culture ministers' meeting was postponed at Beijing's request, and no bilateral talks are planned at the G20 summit in South Africa. Analysts predict a "long winter" in ties, with potential economic losses from travel boycotts and supply chain disruptions.
