Sanae Takaichi says Chinese export restrictions "constitute a survival-threatening situation"

In November, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan could respond with force to a Chinese attack on Taiwan. Beijing reacted angrily: a Chinese consul posted a violent remark online, then deleted it; Japan protested, but China rebuffed the complaint and later warned its citizens against travelling to Japan and tightened trade rules. China has since restricted exports of dual-use goods and rare earth minerals vital to Japanese industry, and placed dozens of Japanese firms under added licensing requirements. This week, Japanese lawmakers from ruling and opposition parties traveled to Beijing, a move observers see as an attempt to ease one of the worst bilateral tensions in decades. The dispute also carries historical weight, with analysts saying China views Japanese talk of force warily.