Japanese politician decried for backing Takaichi's remarks

China on Monday slammed a Japanese politician for supporting Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks over China's Taiwan island, calling such provocation "very dangerous".

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun made the remark at a regular news briefing in Beijing, after reports said that Taro Aso, vice-president of the Liberal Democratic Party, welcomed the "attitude" of Takaichi, who last month linked a "survival-threatening situation" with Taiwan and implied Tokyo's possible military intervention at the parliament.

Aso's comments demonstrate that Takaichi and "the Japanese right-wing provocateurs behind her are still misjudging the situation and refusing to reflect on and correct their wrongdoing", Guo said in response.

"They are turning a deaf ear to the criticism both in and outside Japan, and trying to sidestep their interference in other countries' internal affairs and their threat of force against other countries," he said.

Aso's words also show that Japanese right-wing politicians disregard facts and "lack respect for international law and the basic norms governing international relations", he added.

High alert

"By stoking conflicts, they are attempting to break free from the postwar international order and honor the Japanese militarists," Guo said, adding that Japan's neighbors in Asia and the international community as a whole should stay on high alert.

China-Japan relations spiraled downward rapidly following Takaichi's provocative remarks.

Beijing has made it clear on various occasions that the remarks violate the one-China principle, undermine the political foundation of bilateral relations, and challenge the postwar international order.

"It's malign in nature and very dangerous to try to grab attention and reap public support by provoking China," Guo said, urging Tokyo to retract Takaichi's remarks and "stop playing with fire".