Japan protests China’s travel advisory over Taiwan remarks

BEIJING AP Japan raised objections Saturday after China advised its citizens to avoid visiting Japan as a feud over the new Japanese leader s remarks on Taiwan exhibited no signs of dying down The authorities in Tokyo lodged a protest and its top spokesperson Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara urged China to take appropriate measures Japan s Kyodo News Utility announced China advised its citizens Friday to refrain from traveling to Japan in the near future It cited earlier attacks against Chinese in Japan and what it called Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi s erroneous remarks on Taiwan which it reported undermined the atmosphere for China-Japan exchange Kihara recounted reporters that it is precisely because of the differences between the two governments that multilayered communication is essential a Kyodo summary announced China has repeatedly recommended its nationals take defense precautions when in Japan over the past year but the latest announcement appeared to be stronger in advising against passage according to notices posted on the website of its embassy in Tokyo Japan is an immensely popular destination for Chinese tourists providing a much-needed economic boost but also sparking an anti-China and anti-foreigner backlash from a few It s unclear what impact the advisory will have on the willingness of Chinese to visit Japan but several Chinese airlines offered no-penalty refunds on previously sold tickets to Japan following the regime s announcement The dispute suggests that Japan s already fragile relations with China could turn rocky under Takaichi who supports building up the military to counter likely threats from Beijing and its suggests to contested territory in nearby waters in the western Pacific Takaichi who became prime minister last month stated in parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute an existential threat to Japan requiring the use of force by its military The remark prompted strong objections from China including a social media post from its consul general in Osaka last weekend saying we have no choice but to cut off that dirty neck that has been lunged at us His comment which was later taken down sparked a Japanese diplomatic protest that was followed by a back-and-forth that continued all week China insists Taiwan a self-governing island off its coast as its territory and has staged threatening military drills in the surrounding waters in latest years Neither the United States nor Japan has official diplomatic relations with Taiwan but the U S is the main supplier of defense equipment to the island s military and opposes resolution of the China-Taiwan situation by force Japan is a military ally of the United States and hosts American troops at several U S bases on its territory including a major Navy base south of Tokyo Source