China Sanctions Japan Lawmaker Over Taiwan Visits

0:00On March 30th, China just slapped sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Faruya, a top-8 to Prime Minister Senai Takaiji, for what they call, colluding with Taiwan independence forces. This happened on Monday March 30th, barring him from entering China and freezing any assets he has there. Faruya leads a cross-party group of Japanese lawmakers focused on Taiwan ties, and he's made multiple trips there, including one earlier this month, two. Beijing sees these visits as direct challenges to their one-China principle, since they claim Taiwan as their own territory. Tensions between Japan and China have been heating up, especially after Takaiichi hinted last November that a Chinese attack on Taiwan might pull Japan into the fight militarily. Taiwan's government flat out rejects Beijing's claims over the island. Faruya brushed it off when talking to reporters at Japan's parliament, saying visits to Taiwan are just part of his job, leading that lawmakers group.

1:01He added, he hasn't been to mainland China in decades, and has zero assets there anyway. This spits a pattern, like when China sanctioned another Japan lawmaker last year over Taiwan comments, and it shows how these diplomatic spats keep. Testing the fragile balance in East Asia right now. Global news today, powered by AI bringing you what matters worldwide.