Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested the possibility of Self-Defense Forces deployment in a Taiwan contingency, prompting a threatening social media post from a Chinese diplomat that drew strong protests from Tokyo. Takaichi refused to retract her statements, claiming they aligned with the government's views, but said she would avoid specific scenarios in future. The exchange has heightened tensions in Japan-China relations.
On Friday, November 8, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament that a Chinese maritime blockade of Taiwan could constitute a 'survival-threatening situation' for Japan, invoking legal grounds for deploying the Self-Defense Forces. This marked a departure from predecessors, who avoided explicitly mentioning Taiwan in such discussions. Taiwan lies just over 100 kilometers from Japanese territory, underscoring the geopolitical stakes.
In response, on Saturday, November 9, China's Consul General in Osaka, Xue Jian, posted on X sharing an article about Takaichi's remarks and commenting that 'the dirty head that sticks itself in must be cut off without hesitation.' The phrase was widely interpreted as a threat against Takaichi, and the post was later deleted. Japan's Foreign Ministry Director General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs, Masaaki Kanai, lodged a protest with the Chinese Embassy on Sunday, November 10. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated at a Monday press conference that the remarks were 'extremely inappropriate for a head of a Chinese diplomatic mission abroad' and demanded a clear explanation from Beijing.
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, at a Monday briefing, described Xue's post as personal and a reaction to Takaichi's 'wrongful and dangerous' comments on Taiwan, urging Tokyo to 'take a hard look at its historical responsibilities.' Taiwan Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo issued a statement saying the government 'takes seriously the threatening remarks made by Chinese officials toward Japan' and that such behavior 'clearly exceeds diplomatic etiquette.'
U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass posted on X that 'the mask slips - again,' adding that Xue's comment threatened Takaichi and the Japanese people. In Monday's House of Representatives Budget Committee session, Takaichi reflected on her statements, saying she provided 'a somewhat concrete answer while considering the worst-case scenario' and had 'no intention' of changing the government's position, but would 'refrain from making explicit statements on specific scenarios' going forward. Less than a month into her tenure, Takaichi's hardline stance—including publicizing a meeting with a Taiwanese representative in Seoul and accelerating defense buildups—has strained ties with Beijing, which she met there agreeing to stable relations.
