Beijing had sharp words for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi following a landslide election victory by her ruling coalition on Sunday.
Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) alone had won 316 seats, the biggest majority for a single party since postwar Japan.
LDP and the coalition partner jointly hold 352 seats.
Takaichi now has a supermajority in Japan’s lower house, meaning her legislative agenda can override the upper chamber, which she does not control.
She called the early election only after three months in office.
According to Japanese media, Takaichi’s goal was to secure a stable majority for her party in the lower house, making it easier to pass legislation to advance her policies.
She is Japan’s first female leader, who has said she is inspired by Britain’s former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, dubbed the Iron Lady.
Takaichi is scheduled to hold a press conference tomorrow.
The Chinese foreign ministry on Monday ramped up the rhetoric on Takaichi, expressing doubt if her leadership will bring about peace in the region.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “Only by learning from history can we look to the future. Will Japan adhere to the path of peaceful development and earn the trust of its neighboring countries and the international community through concrete actions? Or will it go against the tide of history and challenge the post-war international order? This warrants serious reflection by Japanese political figures and insightful members of Japanese society,” according to Chinese state media Global Times.
Tensions between Japan and China have been high since Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan in parliament last November.
She suggested that any Chinese attack on Taiwan would be considered a security threat to Japan and said a Chinese attack on the island could trigger a military response from Japan.
Beijing treats Taiwan as its own territory even though the island has its own self-democratically elected government since it first held presidential elections in 1996.
Her words have sparked backlash from Beijing.
Flights from China to Japan have been cancelled ahead of the Lunar New Year which is the busiest travel period of the year.
Chinese citizens were also told not to travel to Japan.
Concerts in China by Japanese pop stars have also been cancelled while seafood imports from Japan has been suspended.
Beijing’s remarks were in sharp contrast with Washington’s.
In a Truth Social post last Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump gave Takaichi his total endorsement and says he plans to host her at the White House in March.
Takaichi thanked Trump via her social media on Sunday, saying she’s looking forward to the visit and hopes to continue to boost the U.S.-Japan alliance.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bassett called Takaichi a great ally on Fox News’ Sunday Futures Watch.
The U.S. ambassador to Japan, George Glass, also congratulated the prime minister, calling the result a magnificent victory.
