~ Linn Maung ~
Sino-Japanese relations have plunged to a new low after Beijing’s reaction to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comment on Taiwan Strait tensions appeared aggressive and disproportionate. The recent standoff has extended beyond harsh diplomatic exchanges and has fuelled growing animosity between the peoples of both countries. Japan has advised its citizens in China to avoid crowded places and take precautionary safety measures.
Japan has asked its citizens to be extra careful when accompanying children, even as it cautioned them about suspicious people around in China. “If you see a person or group that looks even slightly suspicious, do not approach them and leave the area immediately,” warned the Japanese Embassy in China. A year ago, a 10-year-old Japanese boy was stabbed to death by an ultra-nationalist Chinese man named Zhong in Shenzhen. In 2023, a Japanese mother and her son were attacked with a knife in Suzhou city.
While reacting to Japanese Takaichi’s comment on Taiwan Strait tensions, China’s consul general in Osaka, Xue Jian, used language that was disrespectful and demeaning, reminiscent of informal street jargon. “We have no choice but to cut off that dirty neck that has been lunged at us without hesitation. Are you ready?” he said. The “extremely inappropriate” and threatening post led to uproar in Japan, with demands for Jian’s expulsion.
Takaichi had made “hypothetical” remarks about possible military action in case China attacks Taiwan, terming it a “survival-threatening situation”. Beijing reacted strongly diplomatically and even complained to the United Nations. However, China went a step further by taking punitive actions against Japan, including imposing a ban on Japanese seafood imports and escalating military tensions in the East China Sea.
China’s Foreign Ministry criticised Takaichi for her “egregious” remarks and threatened Japan with consequences if they were not retracted. “Takaichi’s erroneous remarks on Taiwan damaged the political foundation of China-Japan relations. If Japan refuses to retract them or even continue to pursue the wrong course, China will have to take strong and resolute countermeasures and all consequences arising therefrom will be borne by Japan,” said its Spokesperson Mao Ning.
Beijing’s offensive was amplified by hyper-nationalist propaganda spread through state-run news outlets and social media warriors. State-run CCTV said Japan “crossed the limit” and described Takaichi as a “troublemaker,” employing a wordplay based on the Chinese pronunciation of her surname to underscore the criticism. Its social media account, Yuyuan Tantian, made a disparaging comment: “Has her head been kicked by a donkey? If she continues to spew shit without any boundaries like this, Takaichi might have to pay the price!”
Beijing also escalated military tensions in the East China Sea by sending its coast guard ships near the contested, Japan-controlled Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands. “It cannot be ruled out that there will be new military activities near the Diaoyu Islands,” said an advisor to the Beijing government. Subsequently, it conducted a live-fire exercise in the Yellow Sea. The angry response from China is seen as its expectations of a retraction from Takaichi. George Chen, partner of The Asia Group, a business policy consultancy, said “The pace and scale of Beijing’s reactions … are quite unprecedented”.
Moreover, Beijing also targeted cultural and tourism activities from Japan as it cancelled an event in China by Japanese artists and advised its citizens against travelling to Japan. “Everything Japanese is cancelled now,” said music agent Christian Petersen-Clausen, expressing dissatisfaction over the abrupt and vague policies of the Beijing government. “You don’t have predictability because nobody announces the policies publicly.”
Beijing’s response appeared entirely out of proportion, as what Takaichi said was not a radical departure from the stand taken by Tokyo, Thomas Reilly, a Political Scientist from Rutgers University. “Takaichi’s remarks did not trigger a crisis; they simply provided an excuse for Beijing. Domestic pressures are growing in China, amid a slowing economy, high youth unemployment, and social dissatisfaction. Under these circumstances, external tensions become politically useful,” he said.
Beijing is fully aware that Takaichi will not withdraw her remarks; however, the crisis may persist for some time, as China might seek to capitalise on the situation. Beijing generally tends to make very maximalist demands, often couched in extremely strong language early on in negotiations,” said Rana Mitter, a China expert at the Harvard Kennedy School.
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