cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/52949972

China imposed sanctions on Monday on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya, a close ​aide of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, due to his “collusion with ‌Taiwan independence” forces, in its latest move in a diplomatic row over Taiwan.

Beijing will bar Furuya’s entry into China and freeze his property and other assets in the country effective ​immediately, China’s foreign ministry said.

[…]

Furuya, as the head of a cross-party Japan-Taiwan ​lawmakers group, has visited Taiwan many times accompanying Japanese political ⁠leaders, most recently earlier this month to meet its President Lai Ching-te ​in Taipei.

The Chinese ministry accused Furuya of colluding with “separatist forces” in Taiwan, ​as he made trips to the island “in defiance of China’s strong opposition”.

[…]

Furuya said visiting Taiwan is a natural function of the parliamentary group he leads, ​adding he had not ​visited mainland ⁠China in decades and had no assets there, according to Kyodo.

Furuya has also been a close aide of Japanese ​Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, supporting her election as the ​ruling Liberal ⁠Democratic Party leader last year.

Ties between Tokyo and Beijing have deteriorated since Takaichi suggested last November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger ⁠a ​Japanese military response.

Earlier last year, Beijing also sanctioned China-born ​Japanese lawmaker Seki Hei for his remarks on issues including Taiwan.