Sanae Takaichi has been in the top job for less than a month, but her comments detailing what Japan could do if China invaded Taiwan has sparked a diplomatic war.

China has issued a veiled military threat to Japan, warning that any attempt by Tokyo to interfere in the Taiwan issue would be met with a military response

Japan will suffer a “crushing defeat” by the Chinese military if it tries to use force to intervene over Taiwan, China’s defence ministry said on Friday, ramping up the rhetoric over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks about the island.

The Chinese government has lodged a stern protest against the recent provocative remarks on Taiwan by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which constitute a severe violation of the fundamental norms governing international relations and a dangerous gambit that threatens regional stability.

Chinese foreign ministry calls Japanese leader’s remarks ‘egregiously wrong’ and urges Tokyo ‘to immediately correct itself’.