“Without a second’s hesitation”
Chinese diplomats threaten to behead Japan’s prime minister
November 10, 2025 – 17:42Reading time: 2 minutes
Prime Minister Takaichi saw the escalation of the Taiwan conflict as a threat to Japan’s existence. A Chinese diplomat then threatened him with beheading.
The Japanese government has complained about Chinese diplomats threatening to behead Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. In a now-deleted post on an online service he did not name the head of government, but linked the article to Takaichi’s statements about Taiwan.
Takaichi told parliament in Tokyo on Friday that a military escalation in Taiwan’s conflict with China, for example through the use of warships, could also threaten Japan’s existence. He did not rule out using Japanese troops in a “worst-case scenario” and referred to the right to “collective self-defense.”
The Chinese consul general’s reaction to the comments was “very inappropriate,” Japanese government spokesman Minoru Kihara said on Monday. Tokyo protested “firmly” and demanded that the post be removed immediately. Takaichi said in parliament he would not walk back his comments. However, he stopped short of mentioning any specific future scenarios.
China views Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be reunited with the mainland – if necessary by military force. Taiwan is “an inseparable part of Chinese territory,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said when asked about the consul general’s threat at a press conference on Monday. China also urged Japan to reflect on its “historical mistakes” in the conflict and not send “wrong signals” to supporters of independence in Taiwan.
