BEIJING — China has warned its citizens against traveling to Japan as tensions escalate following remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding the island of Taiwan.

The move marks Beijing’s most substantive retaliation yet, signaling its willingness to leverage economic influence in response to geopolitical disputes.

In a statement Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said “blatantly provocative remarks on Taiwan” had “further damaged the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges,” creating additional risks for Chinese citizens in Japan.

The ministry urged Chinese nationals to “refrain from visiting Japan for the time being.”

State broadcaster CCTV reported that major Chinese airlines, including Air China, China Eastern and China Southern, offered ticket refunds or free changes for Japan-bound flights.

The warning comes after Takaichi said in parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would constitute “a situation threatening Japan’s survival,” potentially triggering a military response. Beijing considers Taiwan its territory and views foreign involvement as crossing a “red line.”

China’s Ministry of Defense said Japan would “suffer a crushing defeat” if it intervened militarily in the Taiwan Strait.

Nearly 7.5 million Chinese travelers visited Japan between January and September, the highest of any country or region.

The advisory follows a series of diplomatic protests, including both countries summoning each other’s ambassadors.

Hostility intensified after China’s Consul General in Osaka posted a message on X saying “the dirty neck that sticks itself in must be cut off,” before deleting it. State media published sharp editorials, while nationalist sentiment surged on Chinese social platforms.

The fallout comes less than two weeks after Takaichi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of an international summit and agreed to pursue stable ties.

Japan has defended the prime minister’s comments, saying they were made in the context of discussing an “existential crisis situation.”

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara added that stability in the Taiwan Strait is critical for Japan and the broader international community.

Takaichi said that her remarks were “hypothetical” and that she would avoid making similar statements in parliament.

Japan continues to balance growing security cooperation with the United States against its deep economic ties with China. — CNN