On Monday, the new President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Lai Ching-te, was inaugurated, and more than 30 Japanese lawmakers visited Taiwan to offer their congratulations. The Chinese Communist Party’s ambassador to Japan, Wu Jianghao, issued threatening remarks in response to this. On Wednesday (May 22nd), Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Masanori responded by stating that Japan has lodged a protest against the “extremely inappropriate” comments made by the Chinese ambassador regarding Taiwan.
Ambassador Wu Jianghao of the Chinese Communist Party in Japan stated on Monday that if Japan supports “Taiwan independence” and “splitting China,” the “Japanese people will be led into a pit of fire.”
On Wednesday, Hayashi Masanori, during a routine press conference, told reporters: “We believe that the remarks made by the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo are extremely inappropriate, and we have immediately lodged a strong protest.”
He reiterated Japan’s stance, emphasizing that Japan hopes to resolve the Taiwan issue through dialogue and peaceful means.
On May 20th, Wu Jianghao made the aforementioned statement at a roundtable discussion on the Taiwan issue held at the Chinese Embassy in Japan.
On the 21st, Japanese House of Representatives member Matsumoto Hitoshi (independent) criticized Wu Jianghao’s remarks, suggesting that Wu should be expelled. Matsumoto submitted a written inquiry to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, seeking the government’s opinion.
In his written inquiry, Matsumoto Hitoshi stated that Wu Jianghao had made similar remarks on April 28th last year, to which the then Foreign Minister, Hayashi Masanori, expressed that “this kind of statement by the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo is extremely inappropriate and a strong protest has been lodged through diplomatic channels.”
Regarding Wu Jianghao’s two instances of threatening remarks, Matsumoto Hitoshi expressed in the letter: “His repeated threatening remarks show a lack of judgment and disrespect towards the Japanese government.”
He then sought the government’s opinion, stating: “Under these circumstances, I believe he should be informed that he is unwelcome and should be expelled (according to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations).”
The government is expected to provide a written response at the Cabinet meeting on May 31st.
President Lai Ching-te was inaugurated on May 20th, and a bipartisan group of Japanese lawmakers from the Japan-Taiwan Legislators’ Friendship Association attended the ceremony with 31 members. Hagiuda Koichi, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and Secretary-General of the Japan-Taiwan Legislators’ Friendship Association, mentioned that Japan and Taiwan share common values and are irreplaceable friends. He emphasized that the decision to attend the inauguration in Taiwan was Japan’s own choice, and it is not something for other countries to interfere with.