Japan-China Friendship Association denounces Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan

The Japan-China Friendship Association on Monday issued a statement strongly protesting Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent erroneous remarks on China's Taiwan region, demanding the Japanese leader to withdraw her words.

In its protest statement, the Tokyo-based association solemnly stressed that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair. It said Takaichi's references to a so-called "survival-threatening situation" constituted interference in China's internal affairs, violated the spirit of the China-Japan Joint Statement signed in 1972, and ran counter to the one-China principle.

"Back in 1972, when Japan and China normalized diplomatic relations, documents such as the China-Japan Joint Statement clearly stated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China, and the government of Japan fully understands and respects this position of the government of the People's Republic of China. The one-China principle has been an important consensus between Japan and China since the normalization of ties. The latest remarks by Takaichi has the potential to undermine this consensus, incite tension in Japan-China relations, and damage the political foundation of bilateral ties. Therefore, I believe these are extremely dangerous, provocative remarks," said Inoue Hisashi, president of the Japan-China Friendship Association.

The association said in its statement that the Japanese government has been hyping up the so-called "Taiwan contingency", repeatedly playing up the so-called China threat", and advancing large-scale military expansion.

In recent years, the association noted, political parties promoting discrimination and exclusivism have gained ground in Japan, frequently advocating constitutional revision.

Takaichi's remarks, it said, will only further embolden such dangerous forces.

The statement emphasized that the root cause of the current tensions and escalating situation between Japan and China lies in Takaichi's erroneous remarks.

The Japan–China Friendship Association again urged Takaichi to retract her statements in their entirety.

"If we go back to the starting point of this issue, the current situation originated precisely when Takaichi uttered those remarks in the Diet. Therefore, we strongly demand that she withdraw this statement. This is something she must do. I believe Takaichi should reflect on her words and actions and adjust her course accordingly," Hisashi said.

Japan-China Friendship Association denounces Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan

An art exhibition featuring 80 pieces of paintings by teenagers was held simultaneously on Wednesday aboard China's orbiting Tiangong space station, which is orbiting about 400 kilometers above Earth, and at the Capital Museum in Beijing.

The artworks, themed "Role Models in My Heart," were displayed and introduced by the Shenzhou-21 crew, comprised of mission commander Zhang Lu and astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, during their mission aboard the space station.

The event launched its call for entries in July 2025, selecting 80 paintings from a pool of over 15,000 submissions from teens across the country. On October 31, the selected works were sent to the Chinese space station aboard the Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft.

It is the fifth painting exhibition held aboard the Tiangong space station.

Additionally, the offline exhibition at the Capital Museum brings together works displayed during the first five editions of the exhibition, making it the first comprehensive showcase of all five collections. The exhibition will run until May 24.

Art exhibition held aboard China's Tiangong space station, in Beijing museum