Japan Issues Safety Warning to Its Citizens in China Amid Escalating Tensions

The dispute began when the Japanese prime minister commented on Taiwan and has now escalated, as China has issued travel warnings and banned films.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (C) responds to questions during a session of the House of Representatives' Budget Committee at the National Diet in Tokyo on Nov. 10, 2025. Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images

The Japanese government warned its citizens in China on Nov. 18 to take enhanced safety precautions and avoid crowds, amid a deepening dispute between the neighboring Asian countries over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan.

The diplomatic crisis began when Takaichi told Japanese lawmakers this month that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could be seen as a “survival-threatening situation” to Japan and could trigger a military response.