Japan said on Monday it had complained to China about “extremely inappropriate” remarks by one of its diplomats towards Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The United States characterised the diplomat’s comment as threatening. “We have no choice but to cut off that dirty neck that has lunged at us without a moment’s hesitation,” China’s Consul General in Osaka, Xue Jian, said in a post on social media website X on November 8. In the post, Xue shared an article that referenced Takaichi’s comments on how Japan could respond to a Chinese attack on Taiwan. “Are you ready?,” Xue added in the post that was subsequently deleted. On Monday, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said that while the intent of the post “was not entirely clear”, it was “extremely inappropriate”. China’s consulate in Osaka did not immediately respond to an email request from Reuters seeking comment. Japan’s foreign ministry and the Japanese embassy in China lodged a strong protest with Beijing and demanded the deletion of the post, Kihara said.

Full report : Japan rebukes Chinese diplomat as Taiwan furore escalates.