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,

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 and Japan are two of Asia’s most powerful nations and the region’s biggest trading partners. Yet centuries of intense rivalry mean their economic embrace can never be taken for granted.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan and Australia urged calm on Sunday after Chinese military aircraft locked radar on Japanese fighter jets, a month after the Japanese leader’s recent remarks on Taiwan that stirred tensions between Tokyo and Beijing.

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