China sanctions aide of Japan PM Takaichi for Taiwan ties
Why it matters: China's sanctions on Keiji Furuya escalate diplomatic tensions with Japan over Taiwan, impacting bilateral relations.
- China imposed sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya, freezing his property and barring his entry, effective March 30, 2026, due to his visits to Taiwan and meetings with President Lai Ching-te.
- Keiji Furuya, head of a Japan-Taiwan lawmakers group and an aide to PM Takaichi, stated that visiting Taiwan is a natural function of his parliamentary role and that he has no assets in mainland China, according to Kyodo.
- China's Foreign Ministry accused Furuya of gross interference in China’s internal affairs and undermining its sovereignty by defying Beijing's strong opposition to official visits to Taiwan.
- Ties between Tokyo and Beijing have deteriorated since PM Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response.
- Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims over the island.
- Taiwan's opposition leader has accepted an invitation from Xi Jinping to visit China, as reported by DW Asia, adding a layer of complexity to cross-strait relations amidst the sanctions.
China has sanctioned Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya, a close aide to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, for his "collusion with Taiwan independence" forces, freezing his assets and barring entry into China. This move escalates diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo, particularly after Takaichi's previous remarks on a potential Japanese military response to a Taiwan attack, even as Taiwan's opposition leader accepts an invitation to visit mainland China.
