China slams Japan for failing to correct mistake one year after Takaichi's Taiwan remarks

File photo of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun. (Photo: VCG)

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday criticized Tokyo for failing to correct course a year after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made erroneous remarks on China's Taiwan region.

Speaking at a regular press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Japan is to blame for the difficulties in bilateral ties.

"Current China-Japan relations face serious difficulties, and the responsibility lies entirely with the Japanese side," Guo said.

It stems from the fallacious Taiwan remarks delivered by the Japanese leader about a year ago, which blatantly sent a wrong signal of seeking military intervention in the Taiwan question, challenged China's national sovereignty and undermined the political foundation of China-Japan relations, the spokesperson added.

On November 7, 2025, Takaichi claimed during a parliamentary session that a so-called "Taiwan contingency" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, an implication that Tokyo could intervene militarily.

In the immediate aftermath, Beijing repeatedly demanded that Tokyo retract the statement, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry saying that those remarks seriously violate the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan and challenge the post-war international order.

"Regrettably, one year has passed, and the Japanese authorities are still stalling," Guo said on Friday. "They continue to dodge and evade the issue, showing no sincerity or action to reflect on and correct their mistakes."

The spokesperson reiterated China's consistent position on its relations with Japan.

"We want to stress once again that for Japan, the pressing task is to correct its erroneous words and deeds on the Taiwan question as soon as possible; what matters is to adopt a correct attitude on historical issues; and fundamentally, Japan needs to develop an objective and rational perception of China," he said.