TOKYO (AP) 鈥� China announced Monday that it is sanctioning a conservative Japanese lawmaker close to Prime Minister accusing him of 鈥渃olluding with鈥� separatists in Taiwan, the latest incident that underlines growing tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over the self-governed island.
Japan called the step unacceptable and regrettable and demanded that China retract it immediately.
鈥淭he one-sided action taken by China as if to intimidate those of different views than its own is absolutely unacceptable,鈥� Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki said. 鈥淚t is extremely regrettable from the perspective of the Japan-China relations.鈥�
China’s Foreign Ministry earlier said the sanctions include banning the entry of Keiji Furuya to China, including to Hong Kong and Macao, and prohibiting his activities with organizations and individuals in China, effective immediately.
Furuya heads a bipartisan Japan-Taiwan lawmakers’ consultation council and has visited Taiwan regularly. He most recently visited Taiwan’s capital of Taipei, where he held talks with Taiwanese President in mid-March.
Furuya is a close ally of Takaichi who headed the election strategy for their governing Liberal Democratic Party ahead of the party鈥檚 .
China accused Furuya of repeatedly visiting Taiwan despite China’s strong opposition and of 鈥渃olluding with Taiwan independence separatist forces.”
The ministry said Furuya’s activities violate the one-China principle 鈥� which holds that Taiwan is a province of China 鈥� and 鈥済rossly interfere in China’s internal affairs and seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
鈥淭he Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests, as well as the red line that must not be crossed,鈥� Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in Beijing.
Furuya said the notice came via the Japanese Foreign Ministry. He defended his actions, telling reporters that 鈥渋t is only natural鈥� for parliamentary groups to promote exchanges between 鈥漜ountries” with shared values.
Furuya said he had not visited China for decades and had no personal assets in that country, 鈥渟o I don’t think there is any impact鈥� from the sanctions.
The move marks the latest example of growing tensions between Beijing and Tokyo since by saying a hypothetical Chinese military action against Taiwan would amount to a 鈥渟urvival-threatening situation鈥� for Japan that would justify Japanese troop engagement.
The comment broke with Japan鈥檚 past vague stance on how Japan would respond if China used force against the island.
China views Taiwan as its internal matter and opposes any foreign involvement in the island, and it reacted with a range of diplomatic and economic steps.
Mao, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said Furuya ignored China鈥檚 repeated reminders of its position following Takaichi鈥檚 鈥渆rroneous remarks on Taiwan鈥� and said that the sanctions are meant 鈥渢o serve as a warning to others.”
China last year also sanctioned a Chinese-born and naturalized Japanese opposition lawmaker, Seki Hei, for allegedly 鈥渟preading fallacies鈥� about Taiwan and other disputed territories.
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AP video journalist Mayuko Ono contributed to this report.
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