Japan today moved to tamp down an escalating diplomatic row with China over Taiwan that has prompted Beijing to urge its citizens to stay away from its East Asian neighbor.
The dispute erupted after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told lawmakers earlier this month that a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response, a scenario previous administrations have avoided discussing in public to avoid provoking Beijing.
Photo: AFP
Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Asia and Oceania Bureau Director-General Masaaki Kanai is to meet his Chinese counterpart, Liu Jinsong (劉勁松), in Beijing this week, Japanese media reported today.
Kanai is expected to explain that Takaichi's comment does not signal a shift in Japan's security policy and urge China to refrain from actions that further damage ties, they said.
"Various channels of communication are open," Japan's chief cabinet secretary told a regular news briefing when asked about Kanai's reported China visit.
However, China's travel warning "is incompatible with the broad direction of promoting a strategic, mutually beneficial relationship. We have made a firm request for the Chinese side to take appropriate steps," he said.
Takaichi may get a chance to speak directly to Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強) later this week, with both expected to attend the G20 summit in South Africa from Friday.
Speaking to reporters in New Taipei City today, President William Lai (賴清德) said China was carrying out a "multifaceted attack" on Japan.
"I call on the international community to continue paying close attention and I also urge China to exercise restraint and demonstrate the conduct befitting a major power, rather than becoming a troublemaker for regional peace and stability," he said.
The row flared with Takaichi's comment on Nov. 7, a week after she met Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and agreed to pursue stable ties.
The following day, Chinese Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian (薛劍) said “the dirty neck that sticks itself in must be cut off" in a now-deleted post on X.
Japan summoned China's ambassador to protest about his "extremely inappropriate" statement and several Japanese politicians called for Xue's expulsion.
The rift widened on Thursday last week, when China summoned Japan's ambassador for the first time in more than two years to lodge a "strong protest" over Takaichi's remarks.
On Friday, China said Japan would face a "crushing" military defeat if it intervened over Taiwan and voiced "serious concerns" about Japan's security direction, including ambiguity over its three non-nuclear principles not to develop, possess or host nuclear weapons.
A formation of Chinese coast guard ships yesterday sailed through waters around the Diaoyutai (釣魚台), or Senkaku, islands.
Japan's coast guard said it drove Chinese ships away.
Chinese state-linked media continued to target Takaichi today.
"Takaichi's dangerous remarks, which have touched the nerves of all parties, were not only strategic recklessness, but also deliberate provocation," the People's Daily said in an editorial.
If the row drags on, a drop in Chinese visitors on the scale of the about 25 percent fall seen during a 2012 island dispute could deliver a significant economic hit, said Takahide Kiuchi, executive economist at Nomura Research Institute.
"A drop in visitor numbers on this scale would have a dampening effect exceeding half of Japan’s annual growth," he said.
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