Japan denies Trump told PM not to upset China over Taiwan

Japan dismissed on Thursday a story in the Wall Street Journal that US President Donald Trump had warned Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi not to anger China over Taiwan's sovereignty.

The spat between Asia's two largest economies began this month when Takaichi indicated that Tokyo may engage militarily in any attack on self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory.

According to Beijing's foreign ministry, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised the matter during a phone chat with Trump on Monday, saying Taiwan's return was an "integral part of the postwar international order".

According to the WSJ, shortly after the discussion, "Trump set up a call with Takaichi and advised her not to provoke Beijing on the question of the island's sovereignty." It quoted unidentified Japanese officials and an American who was informed on the call.

However, Japan's top government spokesman, Minoru Kihara, rejected the Journal's claim.

"According to the newspaper, when it comes to Taiwan's sovereignty, Trump told her not to irritate the Chinese authorities. "There is no such fact," Kihara stated at a routine media briefing, without providing any details.

Takaichi stated in her report on the call with Trump that they discussed the US president's conversation with Xi, as well as bilateral relations.

"President Trump said we are very close friends, and he offered that I should feel free to call him anytime," she told me.

However, the WSJ reports that "the Japanese officials said the message was worrying."

"The president didn't want friction over Taiwan to endanger a détente reached last month with Xi, which includes a promise to buy more agricultural products from American farmers hit hard by the trade war," according to reports.

• 'Seriously erroneous'

Beijing, which has threatened to use force to seize control of the self-ruled island, reacted strongly to Takaichi's initial remarks in parliament on November 7.

It summoned Tokyo's envoy and encouraged Chinese citizens not to visit Japan.

On Wednesday, the Chinese embassy in Japan cautioned people to be cautious again, citing an increase in crime and reports of Chinese citizens "being insulted, beaten, and injured for no reason".

Japan's foreign ministry claimed that violence had increased, citing numbers from the National Police Agency that indicated the number of homicides had been cut in half between January and October compared to the same period in 2024.

On Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun renewed his appeal for Japan to officially withdraw Takaichi's comments.

"The Japanese side's attempt to downplay, dodge, and cover up Prime Minister Takaichi's seriously erroneous remarks by not raising them again is self-deception," Guo said during a typical news conference.

"China will never accept this."