BEIJING, December 22. /TASS/. The Japanese leadership’s statements about Tokyo’s potential possession of nuclear weapons pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and challenge the post-war world order, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said at a briefing.

"China is shocked at how senior Japanese officials are openly saying that Japan should possess nuclear weapons," he stressed. According to the diplomat, the Japanese defense minister’s plans to review "the three non-nuclear principles" and keep all options on the table are a blatant violation of Tokyo’s international obligations and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

According to Lin, while this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the world war against Nazism, such discussions indicate attempts by Japan’s right-wing forces to step up the country’s remilitarization and review the outcome of World War II. Beijing believes that it is unacceptable for Japan to undermine the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, citing fictitious threats.

Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated during a parliamentary debate that a potential military crisis off Taiwan would pose "an existential threat" that would force Japan to exercise its "right to collective self-defense." This sparked a strong reaction from Beijing, which issued a serious warning to Tokyo. Chinese Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian in an X post threatened to "cut off" the Japanese prime minister’s head, but the post was later deleted. The Chinese Foreign Ministry warned the country’s nationals against traveling to Japan.

Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949, when the remaining Kuomintang forces, led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975), fled to the island after being defeated in China’s civil war. Since then, Taiwan has preserved the flag and some other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed in mainland China before the Communists came to power. However, Beijing considers the island to be one of its provinces, a position shared by the majority of countries, including Russia.