China’s consul general Xue Jian in Osaka was the first to respond, reposting a news article about Ms Takaichi’s comments on social media with the caption, “cut off a dirty neck without a moment of hesitation”, which many understood as a threat to the Japanese prime minister.

Beijing sees a frank comment on Taiwan as a chance to weaken the prime minister.

China’s recent naval deployment around Japan comes on the heels of a war of words between Beijing and newly-elected Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi over Taiwan.

From China’s point of view, the Japanese Prime Minister’s remarks on Taiwan test a red line - a trigger that sets this dispute apart from past flare-ups, analysts say.

Japan is raising alarms after a series of confrontations with China over the weekend intensified a growing diplomatic rift between

On paper, China is clearly more powerful. China has the world's largest military, with over 20 lakh active soldiers. Japan has around 2.5 lakh. China's defence budget in 2025 is estimated at over $230 billion,