In early November 2025, Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan, made remarks in parliament that a Chinese military attack on Taiwan could amount to a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan — a statement that has sparked a strong diplomatic backlash from China.
Devdiscourse
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Reuters
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The Straits Times
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Takaichi’s comments were given while responding to a question about “survival-threatening situations” under Japan’s 2015 security law, which allows for collective self-defence in certain scenarios.
Reuters
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She cited a hypothetical scenario in which Taiwan would be brought completely under Beijing’s control using battleships and military force, or U.S. warships moved in to break a blockade, and said these could trigger Japanese involvement.
Reuters
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Why they triggered China’s anger
Beijing responded swiftly and harshly. China lodged a formal protest, saying Japan’s comments constituted interference in what China regards as its internal affairs.
The Straits Times
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Reuters
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A post by Xue Jian, the Chinese Consul-General in Osaka, threatened Takaichi directly with violent imagery (“the dirty neck that sticks itself out must be cut off”), escalating the row.
Reuters
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State media in China accused Takaichi of being “extremely malicious” and “crossing the line”, even comparing her remarks to Japan’s pre-war expansionism.
Reuters
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Why this matters
Japan has historically maintained a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on the Taiwan question, aligning with its ally the United States in avoiding explicit commitments to intervene in a conflict across the Taiwan Strait.
Reuters
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Takaichi’s remarks mark a departure from that restraint — signalling that Tokyo might view a Taiwan contingency as directly linked to Japan’s own security. Given Taiwan lies only about 110 km from Japan’s westernmost island, and vital shipping routes pass near it, the strategic implications are real.
Reuters
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For China, Taiwan is a core interest. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes any third-party intervention. Japan’s suggestion of a possible military response to a China-Taiwan conflict therefore touches a red line. The 1972 Japan-China joint communiqué, in which Japan acknowledged the People’s Republic of China as the only lawful government and “understands and respects” China’s position on Taiwan, is cited by Beijing as being violated by Tokyo’s comments.
Japan Today
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What’s next
Japan’s government has since clarified that Takaichi’s remarks were hypothetical, and said it will avoid making explicit comments on specific contingencies going forward.
The Japan Times
But Tokyo stands by the broader interpretation that its security law allows for responses to situations that threaten Japan’s survival. Meanwhile, calls in Tokyo have grown for the expulsion of China’s Osaka consul after his social-media post — a reflection of how serious Japan views the incident.
Reuters

For China-Japan relations, the timing is awkward. Just weeks earlier, Takaichi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a regional forum and both countries expressed a desire for a “constructive and stable” relationship. The Taiwan spat threatens to overshadow such ambitions.
The Washington Post

Conclusion
In sum, Prime Minister Takaichi’s remarks about Taiwan triggered China’s fury because they signalled a possible Japanese military role in a Taiwan contingency — challenging Beijing’s claims and breaking long-standing diplomatic discretion. The escalation illustrates how the Taiwan question remains a sensitive fulcrum in East Asia, especially as Japan, China and the U.S. navigate evolving security dynamics.