Overview
- China’s Foreign Ministry posted an advisory telling Chinese citizens to refrain from visiting Japan in response to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Diet remark that a Taiwan contingency could qualify as a “situation of existential crisis.”
- Japan says it will not retract the remark, characterizing it as a worst‑case assessment consistent with existing policy, and is calling for high‑level dialogue to ease tensions.
- Government officials warn that further retaliation could extend into economic measures, with concern voiced over potential rare‑earth export restrictions.
- Japanese retailers and tourism operators, including department store Takashimaya, report concern over reduced inbound traffic and say they are monitoring immediate impacts on business.
- The United States approved a $330 million equipment sale to Taiwan, reportedly including fighter aircraft parts, marking the first such approval under the current Trump administration.