China sanctions Japanese lawmaker close to Takaichi over his ties to Taiwan

TOKYO (AP) — China announced Monday that it is sanctioning a conservative Japanese lawmaker close to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, accusing him of “colluding with” separatists in Taiwan, the latest incident that underlines growing tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over the self-governed island.

China's Foreign Ministry said the sanctions include banning the entry of Keiji Furuya to China, including to Hong Kong and Macao, and prohibiting his activities with organizations and individuals in China, effective immediately.

Furuya heads a bipartisan Japan-Taiwan lawmakers' consultation council and has visited Taiwan regularly. He most recently visited Taiwan's capital of Taipei, where he held talks with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te in mid-March.

Furuya is a close ally of Takaichi who headed the election strategy for their governing Liberal Democratic Party ahead of the party’s electoral victory in February.

China accused Furuya of repeatedly visiting Taiwan despite China's strong opposition and of “colluding with Taiwan independence separatist forces."

The ministry said Furuya's activities violate the one-China principle — which holds that Taiwan is a province of China — and “grossly interfere in China's internal affairs and seriously undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Furuya said the notice came via the Japanese Foreign Ministry. He defended his actions, telling reporters that “it is only natural” for parliamentary groups to promote exchanges between ”countries" with shared values.

Furuya said he had not visited China for decades and had no personal assets in that country, “so I don't think there is any impact” from the sanctions.

The move marks the latest example of growing tensions between Beijing and Tokyo since Takaichi infuriated Beijing last November by saying a hypothetical Chinese military action against Taiwan would amount to a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan that would justify Japanese troop engagement.

The comment broke with Japan’s past vague stance on how Japan would respond if China used force against the island.

China views Taiwan as its internal matter and opposes any foreign involvement in the island, and it reacted with a range of diplomatic and economic steps.

China last year also sanctioned a Chinese-born and naturalized Japanese opposition lawmaker, Seki Hei, for allegedly “spreading fallacies” about Taiwan and other disputed territories.