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China Advises Citizens to Avoid Japan as Diplomatic Tensions Escalate Over Taiwan
China warns its citizens against traveling to Japan following provocative remarks by PM Sanae Takaichi on Taiwan. Airlines offer refunds as tensions rise, and live-fire drills in the Yellow Sea are planned.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-11-15
China Advises Citizens to Avoid Japan as Diplomatic Tensions Escalate Over Taiwan

China has advised its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan, as a diplomatic spat intensifies following comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the potential use of military force in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan.

The tensions began after Takaichi told the Japanese parliament on November 7 that Japan could consider a military response if China were to take action against Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing. China condemned the remarks as provocative, summoning Japan’s ambassador on Friday in protest.

Tokyo retaliated by summoning China’s ambassador following an “inappropriate” social media post by a Chinese consul general in Osaka, which was later removed. Despite the dispute, Japan has maintained that its position on Taiwan, located just 110 km (70 miles) from the nearest Japanese island, remains unchanged.

The Chinese embassy in Japan posted on WeChat late Friday, warning citizens that recent Japanese statements “severely damage the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges” and present “significant risks to the personal safety and lives of Chinese citizens in Japan.” It urged Chinese nationals to avoid traveling to Japan in the near future.

Reacting to Beijing’s advisory, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara criticized the move as “inconsistent with the promotion of a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship.” The Japanese government has requested that China take “appropriate measures.”

In a related development, China’s largest airlines — Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern — announced that travelers on Japan routes could receive full refunds or change itineraries free of charge for flights through December 31.

The escalating tensions come amid a backdrop of historical mistrust, territorial disputes, and military competition between the two nations. Taiwan, formerly under Japanese rule until 1945, remains a sensitive issue, with China asserting sovereignty over the island and not ruling out the use of force.

Taiwan’s Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo described China’s travel restrictions and recent live-fire drills as politically motivated threats, warning they pose a “grave danger to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

The China Maritime Safety Administration confirmed live-fire exercises in parts of the central Yellow Sea from Monday through Tuesday, prohibiting entry to the designated areas, according to official media reports.

This latest development underscores the fragile state of regional security in East Asia, highlighting the challenges in balancing diplomatic, economic, and military considerations between China, Japan, and the broader Indo-Pacific region.

 
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