China sharply criticised Japan on Monday for its plan to deploy missiles on an island close to Taiwan, calling the move an “extremely dangerous” step that risks escalating military tensions in the region.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Japan’s decision to station surface-to-air missiles on the southwestern island chain was a deliberate attempt to heighten confrontation. Responding to a question about Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi’s recent visit to Yonaguni Island — around 110 km from Taiwan — Mao alleged that “right-wing forces” in Tokyo were pushing the country further down a path of militarism.
The comments from Beijing marked the latest flare-up in an already strained relationship, coming days after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made remarks suggesting that a Chinese attack or blockade of Taiwan could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan.
Koizumi, touring a military base on the island, defended the deployment as a deterrent. He argued that positioning a Type-03 medium-range surface-to-air missile unit would reduce the risk of an armed attack on Japan, dismissing suggestions that the move could inflame regional tensions. Japanese media reported that the deployment is part of a broader defence build-up along the southern island chain, reflecting Tokyo’s concerns about China’s expanding military presence and the growing possibility of a Taiwan crisis.
Beijing, however, views the move in the context of Takaichi’s hardening stance on Taiwan. Earlier this month, she said that a Chinese naval blockade or other coercive act against the self-ruled island could trigger conditions allowing Japan to engage in military action alongside the United States. China described the comments as “shocking” and a breach of diplomatic norms, accusing Tokyo of crossing a “red line” on the Taiwan issue.
While Takaichi refused to retract her remarks, she later said she would avoid discussing specific military scenarios. Beijing nonetheless lodged formal diplomatic protests, warning that any attempt by Japan to involve itself militarily in a Taiwan conflict would be considered an act of aggression. China’s UN ambassador even wrote to Secretary-General António Guterres criticising Japan for what he called a “grave violation of international law.”
China has announced a series of measures against Japan, including the re-disposition of its recently lifted suspension of seafood imports and a travel alert for Japan, following Takaichi's comments.
China, which is the largest source of tourists to Japan with about 7.4 million trips this year, has asked its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan, resulting in a spate of cancellations of Chinese tourists.
Diplomatic fallout continues as well: Chinese Premier Li Qiang avoided meeting Takaichi at the G20 summit in South Africa, and plans for a trilateral meeting with Japan and South Korea have been shelved.
Amid the escalating tensions, the United States reaffirmed its “unshakable commitment” to its alliance with Japan, underscoring the broader geopolitical stakes surrounding Taiwan.