jaskinie: 2025–2026 China–Japan diplomatic crisis

Evidence: 100 • authority: 72

Relations between China and Japan entered a state of crisis in November 2025, after Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi said in the Japanese parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could potentially constitute an "existential crisis for Japan" under the Legislation for Peace and Security, allowing Japan to take military action in collective self-defence. Following these remarks, the Chinese consul general in Osaka, Xue Jian, made threatening comments against Takaichi on X (formerly Twitter), triggering a diplomatic row between the countries. Both sides protested the other's remarks. In response to questions from Japanese parliamentarians, Takaichi refused to withdraw her remarks, argu…

Evidence: 30 • authority: 80

Japan rolls the dice but China holds the cards in rare earth strategy

Evidence: 22 • authority: 80

Japan, Communist China, and Export Controls in Asia, 1948?52

Evidence: 22 • authority: 80

12. Japan and the South China Sea Dispute: A Stakeholder’s Perspective

Evidence: — • authority: 72

In the immediate aftermath of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the People's Republic of China stated that it respects Ukraine's sovereignty but Russia's opposition to the enlargement of NATO should also be addressed. It abstained from United Nations votes that condemned the invasion. The Chinese government has attempted to mediate between the two countries, but its proposals have been rejected as being pro-Russia. Since 2022, China and Russia maintained close relations, with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian president Vladimir Putin exchanging several state visits. In 2025, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi was reported to have told the European Union's top diplomat that China canno…

Evidence: — • authority: 72

The relationship between China and Japan spans thousands of years. Japan has deep historical and cultural ties with China; cultural contacts throughout its history have strongly influenced Japan—including its writing system, architecture, cuisine, culture, literature, religion, philosophy, and law. China, in return, has been deeply influenced by Japan. After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the Empire of Japan embraced Westernization and saw the Qing dynasty as "non-Chinese", leading to the First Sino-Japanese War where Japan emerged victorious and gained control of Taiwan. In the 20th century, Japan pursued an increasingly expansionist policy towards China. In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria,…

Evidence: — • authority: 92

The New Southern Policy Plus Progress and Way Forward. Over the past three decades, the Republic of Korea (hereinafter, Korea) has shown a great commitment to cooperating with ASEAN member states and India. Starting with the establishment of a sectoral dialogue partnership in 1989, Korea has developed a comprehensive partnership with ASEAN over the years. The ASEAN-KOREA FTA was completed in 2009 and the elevation of bilateral relations to a ‘strategic partnership’ in 2010 served as a momentum to strengthen our economic and security partnership. By sharing cultural proximity rooted in Asian values, ASEAN and Korea have also enjoyed robust socio-cultural exchanges. Meanwhile, regarding to In…

Evidence: — • authority: 80

US, EU, and Japan file case against China over rare earths

Evidence: — • authority: 88

China–Rare Earths: Export Restrictions and the Limits of Textual Interpretation. The China-Rare Earths decision of the Appellate Body addressed two main issues: (i) whether China’s obligations not to impose export duties under its accession protocol are subject to exceptions under Article XX of GATT, and (ii) the scope of the exception for China’s export quota measures relating to conservation under Article XX(g) of GATT. In accord with its China-Raw Materials decision, the Appellate Body found that there is no textual basis for application of the Article XX exception to China’s export duty obligations. This interpretation exalted a narrow contextual approach over an approach to interpretat…

Evidence: — • authority: 88

China and the Geopolitics of Rare Earths. In 2010, because of a geopolitical incident between China and Japan, seventeen elements of the periodic table known as rare earths became notorious overnight. An “unofficial” and temporary embargo of rare-earth shipments to Japan alerted the world to China’s near monopoly position on the production and export of these indispensable elements for high-tech, defense, and renewable energy sources. A few months before the geopolitical confrontation, China had chosen to substantially cut export quotas of rare earths. Both events sent shockwaves across the markets, and rare-earth prices skyrocketed, prompting reactions from industrial nations and industry…