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China urges Japan to give clear, satisfactory answer to Chinese people, retract Takaichi's erroneous Taiwan remarks: FM

Global Times

If Takaichi continues right wing path, it risks driving China-Japan ties to post-normalization low, says expert

By Zhao Yusha and Zhang Changyue Published: Nov 18, 2025 11:45 PM

China on Tuesday once again lodged stern representations with Japan over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on the Taiwan question with a visiting Japanese senior official, and Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson also urged the Japanese side to retract its erroneous remarks, repent and change course, offering a clear and satisfactory answer to the Chinese people.

In response to a media inquiry on details of the consultations between Masaaki Kanai, the director-general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, with Liu Jinsong, director general of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said that this morning, Liu held consultations in Beijing with Kanai.

During the consultations, China once again lodged serious protest with Japan over the wrongful remarks made by Takaichi concerning China.

The Chinese side made it clear that the prime minister's remarks seriously violate international law and basic norms in international relations, erode the post-WWII international order, and go against the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, Mao said, noting that those remarks have caused fundamental damage to the political foundation of China-Japan relations. The egregiousness of both the nature and impact of those remarks has triggered strong outrage and condemnation from the Chinese people.

China seriously urges Japan to retract Takaichi's wrongful remarks, stop making provocations on issues concerning China, take practical steps to admit and correct the wrongdoing, and uphold the political foundation of China-Japan relations, Mao said.

When he left the hotel on his way to the Chinese foreign ministry, Masaaki was wearing a stern expression, he remained silent in response to reporters' questions, Fuji Television reported.

At around 3:30 pm, Global Times reporters spotted Kanai at the airport, leaving China. Kanai did not answer questions from media.

Takaichi claimed at a Diet meeting on November 7 that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan. She refused to retract her remarks which imply the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Straits, according to Asahi Shimbun.

Multiple Chinese ministries and government agencies have condemned the Japanese side's related moves and remarks, warning that Japan would face a resolute response if it dared to meddle in the Taiwan question.

Tokyo may hope sending an envoy to de-escalate tensions and demonstrate a conciliatory attitude toward Beijing will ease the situation, however, China has already made its stance clear, that unless Takaichi retracts her remarks, no amount of diplomatic envoys or explanations from Japan will resolve the matter, Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the Department for Asia-Pacific Studies of the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

As China-Japan relations have deteriorated in recent weeks, questions concerning bilateral ties have appeared frequently at the Chinese Foreign Ministry's daily briefing on Tuesday.

In response to a question about that China has recently issued intensive criticism and rebuttals against Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan, and some commentaries suggest that China-Japan relations have hit the lowest point in recent years, Mao said the current situation in bilateral relations is caused by Prime Minister Takaichi's blatant remarks on Taiwan. Those remarks grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, violated the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between the two countries, and eroded the political foundation of bilateral relations.

China stands firm to defend its core interests and international justice. Japan must retract its erroneous remarks, repent and change course, offering a clear and satisfactory answer to the Chinese people, Mao said.

Lack of remorse

After the meeting concluded, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told Phoenix TV during a press conference on Tuesday that Japan's position on the Taiwan question remains based on the Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration. Japan understands and respects China's position on Taiwan, and this policy has not changed.

When pressed by the Phoenix TV reporter with the follow-up question: "Could you please clearly state which specific sentence in the Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration Japan will continue to abide by?", Motegi did not give a direct answer.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara reiterated on Tuesday that Takaichi's remarks in the Diet regarding a Taiwan contingency "do not change the government's longstanding position," and that she therefore has no intention of retracting them, Japan's Jiji press reported.

Moreover, Japan's News Post Seven reported on Tuesday that Takaichi is likely to visit the notorious Yasukuni Shrine, with the date set most likely at December 26 - the same date former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the shrine 12 years ago while in office.

Japan now finds itself on the defensive amid the current tension with China, it is also attempting to boost its momentum in preparation for further provocations, such as Takaichi's reported visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, Shen Yi, a professor at Fudan University, told the Global Times.

Shen warned that if Japan chooses to provoke, it must also be prepared to bear the consequences. They need to be certain they can withstand the anger, contempt, and strong countermeasures from China, neighboring countries, and the broader international community.

Several Chinese travel agencies have warned that trips to Japan may be affected and some tour products could be suspended, as the Global Times confirmed on Monday.

According to The Guardian, citing an air travel analyst, departure data suggested about 500,000 flight tickets to Japan had been cancelled between 15 and 17 November.

So far, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese Embassy and consulates in Japan, China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Ministry of Education have issued alerts advising Chinese nationals to avoid traveling or studying in Japan.

On the Tokyo stock market on Tuesday, the Nikkei average fell for the third consecutive day, closing at 48,702.98 yen, down 1,620.93 yen (3.22%) from the previous day. This marked the lowest closing level in a month, since October 23.

Inbound-related stocks continued to decline following the previous day. After Takaichi's Taiwan-related remarks, the Chinese government issued a warning urging its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan. Concerns that spending by visitors to Japan will decrease pushed down shares of companies such as Shiseido and Isetan Mitsukoshi, according to Nikkei.

Another sign of Takaichi's administration going more right wing is that Japanese officials have stated Japan is planning to revise the ranks of the Self-Defense Force, including reinstating old Japanese military ranks, such as "Taisa" (colonel).

Mao said on Tuesday that Japan's far-right forces are trying every means to break free from the pacifist constitution, and going further down the path of boosting Japan's military buildup.

Eighty years ago, the war of aggression waged by Japanese militarism inflicted profound sufferings on Asia and the world. Amnesia of war spells disaster; war-mongering spells doom. Lessons from history must not be forgotten, distorted, or even erased. Eighty years on, militarism must never be revived in Japan, the post-WWII international order must never be challenged, and world peace and stability must never be ruined again, Mao warned.

Domestic pressure

Regarding Takaichi's wrongful remarks regarding China and moves, some Japanese politicians also voiced opposition.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki expressed his view regarding Takaichi's consideration of reviewing the country's long-standing Three Non-Nuclear Principles, saying that "in principle, they should be maintained."

He also called for calm responses, noting that tensions between Japan and China have been rising over the Takaichi's remarks on the Taiwan question, and warned, "What we fear most is a division of public opinion at home. Diplomatic relations must always be handled with composure, care, and prudence," Japan's Mainichi reported.

Hiroshima governor Hidehiko Yuzaki also said on Tuesday that "as the place that suffered the world's first atomic bombing and its horrific consequences, the Three Non-Nuclear Principles are something that must absolutely be upheld." If a move to review them becomes explicit, I intend to firmly oppose it, he added.

If Takaichi continues to refuse to withdraw her provocative remarks on Taiwan and pushes further along a right-wing path, China-Japan relations could sink to their lowest point since diplomatic normalization. Her moves are seen as dangerous signs that Japan may be drifting toward a revival of militarism, Lü Chao, president and associate professor at the Institute of American and East Asian Studies at Liaoning University, told the Global Times.

These developments would not only inflict serious damage on bilateral ties, but also trigger heightened alarm across the region - including in China, South Korea, North Korea and Russia, all of which experienced Japan's wartime aggression, said Lü, noting that should Takaichi press ahead, global distrust and countermeasures against Japan are likely to intensify.