Japan rebukes Chinese diplomat as Taiwan furore escalates

Japan has lodged a formal protest against China after remarks made by a Chinese diplomat that Tokyo described as “extremely inappropriate.” The controversy centres on the Sanae Takaichi government, which suggested that if Beijing launched a military attack on Taiwan, such a scenario could be considered a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, potentially justifying the use of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces.

The diplomat in question, Xue Jian, the Chinese Consul-General in Osaka, posted on social media a comment stating: “we have no choice but to cut off that dirty neck that has lunged at us without a moment’s hesitation. Are you ready?” The post referenced Takaichi’s remarks and was later deleted, but not before provoking sharp rebukes from Tokyo and George Glass, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, who weighed in saying the message threatened the Japanese people.

In response, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said the diplomat’s comments involved “multiple inappropriate statements,” and demanded that Beijing take “appropriate action.” Meanwhile, Beijing characterized the post as Xue’s personal expression, blamed Tokyo for making “wrongful and dangerous” remarks on Taiwan and urged Japan to “take a hard look at its historical responsibilities.”

The incident comes at a delicate moment. Takaichi, Japan’s first female Prime Minister, had recently met a Taiwanese representative at a regional summit and publicly flagged China’s military escalation toward Taiwan as a potential trigger for Japanese defence action, a departure from previous Japanese policy.

For Japan, the affair signals an intensification of regional tensions and a recalibration of Tokyo’s threat perception toward Beijing. For China, the episode underscores Beijing’s sensitivity to third-party interactions with Taiwan and its intolerance for perceived provocations by other capitals. Analysts say the remarks by Xue Jian reflect growing frustration within the Chinese diplomatic corps at what Beijing sees as Tokyo’s drift toward tighter alignment with U.S. security interests in the Indo-Pacific.

While no immediate retaliation measures have been announced, the diplomatic row is likely to complicate already strained Sino-Japanese ties. Observers say both parties will now weigh the strategic ramifications carefully, Tokyo for its defence posture and alliance commitments; Beijing for how it manages challenges to its “One China” principle without inflaming a broader regional conflict.

In short: What began as a comment on Taiwan has morphed into a substantial diplomatic quarrel between two major regional powers, each wary of stepping into an unpredictable security spiral.