China began live-fire drills in the Yellow Sea this Monday, a day marked by diplomatic gestures, warnings, and economic and cultural repercussions stemming from the increased tension between Beijing and Tokyo following recent statements by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan.
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The notification did not specify which military assets are participating or the specific purpose of the exercise, although its publication coincided with an increase in Chinese rhetoric against Japan. Tokyo sends a diplomatThe Japanese Government sent Masaaki Kanai, Director-General of the Asia and Oceania Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to Beijing today to meet with his counterpart Liu Jinsong. According to Japanese media, Kanai intends to emphasize during meetings with Chinese officials this Tuesday that Tokyo has not modified its stance of not recognizing Taiwan as a legitimate government and to seek ways to de-escalate. The visit comes after more than a week of cross-accusations over Takaichi’s words, who suggested that a Chinese attack on the island could put Japan in a “crisis situation” and provoke an intervention by its armed forces in the Taiwan Strait. Meanwhile, Taiwanese President William Lai urged Beijing today to “act with restraint” and stop “becoming a troublemaker.” “Hurt feelings” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said today that Takaichi’s words “seriously hurt the feelings of the Chinese people” and “significantly deteriorated the atmosphere of exchange,” justifying the warnings issued by several Chinese departments that discourage travel to Japan. Mao also accused Japanese right-wing groups and social media messages of “extremist threats” against Chinese citizens, which, according to Beijing, would support official warnings. The Chinese Foreign Ministry also confirmed that Prime Minister Li Qiang “has no plans” to meet with Takaichi during the G20 summit to be held in Johannesburg this week, at which they will coincide. Last week, China summoned the Japanese ambassador and warned that Tokyo would “pay a painful price” if it intervenes in a conflict over Taiwan. The Ministry of Defense then described Takaichi’s statements as “extremely dangerous”, while accounts linked to state television even warned that “all consequences must be assumed by Japan” if the “provocations” persist, mentioning the possibility of suspending intergovernmental exchanges. Travels and film premieres, canceled
Japanese media reported this Monday about 491,000 ticket cancellations to Japan since last Saturday, as well as the suspension of travel sales by Chinese agencies. Airlines from the Asian country announced over the weekend the possibility of free refunds and changes. The warnings also affected the Tokyo Stock Exchange, impacting companies in the retail and tourism sectors. Tension affects even the cultural sphere. Two Japanese films scheduled to premiere in China, ‘Cells at Work!’ and ‘Crayon Shin-chan: The Burning Kasukabe Dancers’, postponed their debut after receiving official notifications on Sunday, according to their distributors, who are already processing refunds. Japan insists that its stance has not changed and that any dispute over Taiwan, self-governed since 1949, must be resolved peacefully. The relationship between Beijing and Tokyo faces these tensions in a year marked by the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pacific, in which China has intensified its reference to historical episodes linked to the Japanese occupation.
