Japan has officially refuted claims that former United States President Donald Trump cautioned Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi against escalating tensions with China over Taiwan's sovereignty. During a news briefing on Thursday, Japan's chief government spokesperson, Minoru Kihara, explicitly stated that there was "no such fact" to support an article published in The Wall Street Journal, which alleged Trump had given such advice to the Japanese leader. Kihara declined to elaborate further on the specifics of the diplomatic exchange.
Origin of the Diplomatic Friction
The ongoing diplomatic friction between Asia's two largest economies began earlier this month. It was sparked by Takaichi's suggestion that Tokyo might consider military intervention should self-governed Taiwan, which Beijing considers an integral part of its territory, face an attack. This comment immediately drew ire from Beijing.
Beijing's Response and Alleged Trump Advice
Following Takaichi's controversial statement, China's Foreign Ministry announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping had pressed the issue during a Monday phone call with Trump. Xi reportedly emphasized that Taiwan's reunification was a "fundamental component of the post-war international order." The Wall Street Journal's report subsequently claimed that shortly after this US-China leaders' discussion, Trump initiated a call with Takaichi, advising her "not to provoke Beijing on the question of the island’s sovereignty." The report cited anonymous Japanese officials and an American source briefed on the call.
Takaichi confirmed that her conversation with Trump involved discussions about the US president's dialogue with Xi, alongside broader bilateral relations. "President Trump remarked that we are very close friends, and he extended an invitation for me to contact him anytime," she stated.
China's Punitive Measures and Japan's Denial
In response to Takaichi's initial remarks in parliament on November 7, Beijing, which has consistently threatened to use force to assert control over Taiwan, implemented several punitive measures. China summoned Tokyo's ambassador and issued travel advisories cautioning its citizens against visiting Japan. As the diplomatic row intensified, the Chinese embassy in Tokyo issued a renewed warning to its citizens on Wednesday, alleging a rise in crime rates in Japan, with reports of Chinese nationals being "insulted, beaten and injured without reason."
Japan’s Foreign Ministry, however, dismissed these claims, citing data from the National Police Agency which indicated a 50% decrease in murders from January to October compared to the same period in 2024. Furthermore, Japanese media reported last week that China intends to reinstate a ban on all Japanese seafood imports, further escalating the bilateral dispute.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun reiterated Beijing's demand on Thursday for Japan to officially retract Takaichi's comments. "The Japanese side’s attempt to minimize, avoid, and conceal Prime Minister Takaichi’s seriously erroneous remarks by not revisiting them is merely self-deception," Guo asserted during a regular news briefing, adding, "China will never accept this."
Trump's Silence and Tokyo's Concerns
Meanwhile, Trump's conspicuous silence regarding Japan's intensifying dispute with China has caused considerable unease in Tokyo. Some Japanese officials express concern that Trump might be willing to compromise support for Taiwan in pursuit of a trade agreement with China. They fear such a move could embolden Beijing and potentially ignite conflict in an increasingly militarized East Asia.
Kazuhiro Maejima, a professor of US politics at Sophia University, noted, "For Trump, what matters most is US-China relations." Maejima informed Reuters, "Japan has always been treated as a tool or a card to manage that relationship." While Washington's envoy to Tokyo has affirmed US support for Japan against China's "coercion," two senior ruling party lawmakers voiced their hope for more emphatic backing from their primary security ally in Washington, D.C.
