China sharply criticised Japan on Monday for moving ahead with plans to station a new missile unit on an island close to Taiwan, calling the step a deliberate attempt to heighten regional friction at a time when the two countries are already facing their toughest diplomatic rift in years.
The comment from Beijing came after Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi confirmed that preparations were advancing to deploy a medium-range surface-to-air missile unit on Yonaguni, a remote island roughly 110 kilometres off Taiwan’s east coast. The upgrade is part of Tokyo’s broader defence restructuring in response to rising concerns over China’s military activity.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the plan “creates regional tension and provokes military confrontation”, arguing that political forces inside Japan were steering the country “towards disaster”. She added that China was “determined and capable of safeguarding its national territorial sovereignty”.
Relations have deteriorated sharply this month after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned that a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan could prompt a military response from Tokyo. Her remarks triggered an intense backlash from Beijing, which responded with strongly worded state media commentaries, restrictions on Japanese seafood imports, a halt to Japanese film releases, and a public advisory discouraging Chinese citizens from travelling to Japan.
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Mao said the missile deployment became “extremely dangerous” in the context of Takaichi’s comments, and insisted that nearby nations should be alarmed.
Japan has defended the move as a defensive necessity. Koizumi said the new missile unit would strengthen the security of Yonaguni and could even reduce the likelihood of conflict by improving deterrence.
“We believe that having this unit in place will actually lower the chances of an armed attack against our country,” he said on Sunday.
Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory, openly supported Japan’s decision. Speaking to lawmakers in Taipei on Monday, Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu noted that as a sovereign country, Japan had every right to reinforce its security, especially given Yonaguni’s proximity to Taiwan.
He said the upgrade “is basically helpful to maintaining security in the Taiwan Strait” and added that Tokyo held no territorial ambitions toward Taiwan.
Beijing has not ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, while Taipei maintains its government and people alone should decide the island’s future.
China’s military has added to the rising tension through a wave of highly charged propaganda videos released over the past week by different branches of the People’s Liberation Army.
In mid-November, China’s defence ministry had already warned Japan of a “crushing” defeat if it intervened in a conflict over Taiwan. Soon after, command units across the PLA began posting videos featuring ballistic missiles, naval drills, and rifle-ready soldiers set to dramatic music.
A clip released by the PLA Rocket Force on Sunday showed footage of intercontinental ballistic missiles and troops preparing for combat, accompanied by the title “If war breaks out today, this is my response!”
Another video from the PLA Navy’s South Sea Fleet featured troops shouting, “If fighting breaks out tonight, comrades, are you ready?” before scenes of weapons being calibrated and positions locked.
The exchange of threats, sanctions, and symbolic military messaging has widened the rift between Asia’s second- and third-largest economies, with no sign of de-escalation. Diplomats on both sides have called for dialogue, but no fresh talks have been announced.
