Japan protests against China diplomat’s violent threat over PM Takaichi’s Taiwan remark
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Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi told a parliamentary committee on Nov 7 that a Chinese military attack on Taiwan could be a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan.
PHOTO: AFP
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TOKYO - The Japanese government said on Nov 10 that it has lodged a stern protest with China regarding a violent threat made by a Chinese diplomat over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks about her country’s potential involvement in a Taiwan emergency.
According to a Japanese government source, a post on social media platform X by China’s Osaka consul-general Xue Jian on Nov 8 threatened to “cut off a dirty neck without a moment of hesitation” while citing a news article on Ms Takaichi’s remarks in Parliament. “Are you ready for that?” the post read.
Japan’s top government spokesman Minoru Kihara told a regular press conference on Nov 10: “We must say that the post is extremely inappropriate for a Chinese diplomatic mission head.”
While noting that the intention of the message was unclear, the Chief Cabinet Secretary also said the Japanese Foreign Ministry and Japanese Embassy in China have lodged a protest and demanded that the post be swiftly deleted. Some measures had been taken by the night of Nov 9, Mr Kihara indicated.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular news conference on Nov 10 that Mr Xue’s post was a response to Ms Takaichi’s “wrongful and dangerous” remarks on Taiwan, urging Tokyo to “take a hard look at its historical responsibilities”.
Sharing the deleted post on X on Nov 10, US Ambassador to Japan George Glass said Mr Xue had threatened Ms Takaichi and the Japanese people.
“The mask slips – again,” Mr Glass said.
The flare-up occurred after Ms Takaichi told a parliamentary committee on Nov 7 that a Chinese military attack on Taiwan could be a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, which could exercise its right to collective self-defence.
Communist-ruled China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split due to a civil war in 1949. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. KYODO NEWS, REUTERS
