China–Japan tensions have intensified after Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan triggered diplomatic, economic and military retaliation from Beijing, with domestic politics and shifting geopolitics leaving little room for de-escalation.

China-Japan relations have plunged to a new low after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned that a Chinese move against Taiwan could trigger Japanese military involvement. Beijing’s furious response has spiralled into political pressure,

As China-Japan diplomatic row ripples into entertainment, over 30 Japanese performances have been abruptly cancelled, leaving millions of fans of Japanese culture in China worried about a potential broader cultural ban.

An officer from the Chinese People's Armed Police Force (CAPF) carried out duty operations in front of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province on December 12, 2025. Photos: VCG

Japan is threatening China militarily which is "completely unacceptable", Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his German counterpart, after Japan said that Chinese fighter jets had aimed their radar at Japanese military aircraft.

As relations with China continue to deteriorate, Japan is embarking on its biggest military buildup in at least four decades.

U.S. President Donald Trump can maintain both a "good working relationship" with China and a "very strong alliance" with Japan even as tensions have risen between those two countries, the White House said on Thursday.