Overview
- On Nov 21, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi rejected Beijing’s demand for a retraction, reiterated that Tokyo’s stance is unchanged, and said any “survival‑threatening situation” would be judged case by case.
- China warned of “serious countermeasures” and issued a travel advisory, with reports of hundreds of thousands of Japan‑bound ticket cancellations in the initial days after the dispute erupted.
- Chinese messaging intensified through state media editorials and a UN broadside by envoy Fu Cong, who labeled Takaichi’s remarks “extremely dangerous.”
- Maritime and military signaling expanded as China ran coast guard patrols near the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands and announced live‑fire drills in the Yellow Sea running through Nov 25.
- Cultural and economic steps included postponement of the China–Japan–South Korea culture ministers’ meeting, a pause on resuming Japanese seafood imports, and a halt to approvals for new Japanese films.