The relationship between Japan and China spans thousands of years, but since the mid-19th Century, where Japan startet embrazing Westernization, the two nations have been at war several times. The first war broke out in 1894 and ended in 1895 with China ceding several territories,

Last Friday, the Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that Tokyo could respond militarily, if China attacked Taiwan.

Beijing is flexing its military and economic might to show its displeasure with the Japanese leader’s comments about defending Taiwan. But its aggressive approach risks backfiring.

Both countries have summoned each other’s ambassadors after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could draw a military response from Tokyo.