"Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are important not only for Japan's security but also for the stability of the international community," Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters.
"It is the consistent position of the Japanese government that we hope for a peaceful resolution of issues surrounding Taiwan through dialogue," he said.
"The Japanese government's position on Taiwan remains unchanged and is consistent with the 1972 Japan-China Joint Communique."
The 1972 communique normalised bilateral relations with Japan, acknowledging Beijing's "One China" policy.
China claims the democratic island as part of its territory and has said it will not renounce using force to bring it under its control.
Takaichi had implied last week that armed attacks on Taiwan could warrant Japan to support the island militarily.
China said on Friday that it had summoned the Japanese ambassador and made "serious demarches" over Takaichi's comments, Beijing said.
"If anyone dares to interfere with China's unification cause in any form, China will surely strike back hard," a statement added.
Kihara said that Japan's envoy "once again explained to the Chinese side the intent of Prime Minister Takaichi's response and our government's position, and refuted the remarks".
He added that Japan "strongly urged China to take appropriate action" after a Chinese diplomat in Japan threatened to decapitate Takaichi.
China summons Japan ambassador over PM Taiwan comments
Beijing (AFP) Nov 14, 2025 -
China summoned the Japanese ambassador over remarks by the new premier about Taiwan, Beijing said Friday, as Tokyo insisted its position on the self-ruled island was unchanged.
Last week, Japan's hawkish new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament that armed attacks on Taiwan could warrant sending troops to support the island under "collective self-defence".
If an emergency in Taiwan entails "battleships and the use of force, then that could constitute a situation threatening the survival (of Japan), any way you slice it", she said.
Beijing insists Taiwan is part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to seize control of the self-governing island.
Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong summoned the Japanese ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi on Thursday, according to a statement published Friday on Beijing's foreign ministry website.
It said Sun made "serious demarches over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks regarding China".
"If anyone dares to interfere with China's unification cause in any form, China will surely strike back hard," the statement added.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on Friday that his government's position on Taiwan remains unchanged and "is consistent with the 1972 Japan-China Joint Communique".
The 1972 communique normalised bilateral relations, with Japan acknowledging the "One China" policy recognised by many other countries including the United States.
"Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are important not only for Japan's security but also for the stability of the international community," Kihara told reporters.
"We will continue to strongly urge China to take appropriate action," he added.
- Diplomatic spat -
Beijing's foreign ministry on Thursday said it would "by no means tolerate" Takaichi's Taiwan comments.
"The Japanese side must correct its wrongdoing at once and retract the unjustified remarks," spokesman Lin Jian told reporters at a press briefing.
In response, Takaichi told parliament Monday she had no intention of retracting her statement and insisted it was consistent with Tokyo's previous stance.
But she said she would refrain from referring to specific scenarios in the future.
Long seen as a China hawk, Takaichi has been a regular visitor to the Yasukuni shrine that honours Japan's war dead and is an outspoken backer of Taiwan, advocating security ties with the self-ruled island.
Security legislation passed in 2015 allows Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defence under certain conditions including if there was a clear danger to the country's survival.
In response to Takaichi's comments, the Chinese consul general in Osaka Xue Jian threatened in a now-removed social media post to "cut off that dirty neck without a second of hesitation".
He did not name Takaichi but quoted a news article about her remarks.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Thursday that Xue's post was "highly inappropriate".
"We strongly urge the Chinese side to continue taking appropriate measures to ensure that this does not affect the broad direction of Japan-China relations," added Motegi, who was in Canada for a G7 meeting.
Taiwan star Chen Bolin charged in conscription evasion probe
Taipei (AFP) Nov 14, 2025 -
Taiwanese star Chen Bolin and 11 others were charged Friday as part of an investigation into military draft dodgers.
Taiwan faces the threat of invasion by China, which claims the democratic island is part of its territory, and Taipei has struggled to recruit and retain troops.
Military service has been mandatory for men aged 18 and over for decades, but the obligatory period has changed under different governments. It is currently one year.
Deferment can be granted for higher education, although all men are required to serve by the time they turn 36.
Two of the defendants allegedly helped the others fake their blood pressure results by holding their breath or arranging for others to take the test for them, the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office said in a statement.
Chen, 42, and four other celebrities could spend up to 32 months in jail for evading military service, prosecutors said.
Five other people face jail terms of up to 26 months.
The celebrity defendants "enjoy the social benefits of high media attention and fame, and wield considerable influence and exemplary influence over the younger generation," prosecutors said.
"Yet, they deliberately evaded military service, severely deviating from societal expectations of public figures and their civic responsibilities."
Chen gained regional fame after he starred in the 2011 hit TV drama "In Time With You" that was popular in China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.
This is the second wave of indictment of celebrities in a widening conscription evasion probe, after 28 people were charged in June, including actor Wang Talu.
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