CaliToday (11/11/2025): A "shocking" social media post by China's Osaka Consul General, allegedly targeting Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over her Taiwan stance, has sparked a "red-level" diplomatic firestorm.
Japan-China relations have been plunged into an unprecedented diplomatic crisis after China’s Consul General in Osaka, Xue Jian, was accused of posting an inflammatory comment on social media calling to "behead" Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Tokyo immediately summoned a Chinese envoy and filed an urgent diplomatic protest, while Japanese politicians have angrily called for the diplomat's expulsion.
According to Reuters and multiple international sources, Consul General Xue Jian allegedly reposted an article online with a shocking comment that read:
“The only way is to cut off that filthy head without hesitation are you all ready?”
Although the post was quickly deleted, screenshots circulated rapidly on X (formerly Twitter), igniting a firestorm of outrage in Japan. Lawmakers across the spectrum labeled the comment a direct and unacceptable threat against the head of the Japanese government.
Tokyo's Furious Response
In a swift and furious response, Japan's Foreign Ministry launched a formal demarche (diplomatic protest), demanding an official explanation from Beijing, accountability, and disciplinary action against the diplomat.
ABC News reports that multiple Japanese lawmakers are demanding the government declare Xue Jian "persona non grata"—a formal diplomatic mechanism to expel him from the country.
The crisis quickly drew in Japan's key ally. The U.S. Ambassador to Tokyo also weighed in, issuing a statement criticizing the Chinese diplomat's rhetoric as a dangerous international provocation that threatens the Prime Minister's safety.
The "Wolf Warrior" Trigger
The diplomatic explosion did not happen in a vacuum. It was reportedly a direct reaction to Prime Minister Takaichi's recently reaffirmed strong stance on Taiwan.
Takaichi had declared that if China were to attack Taiwan, Japan might activate its "survival-threatening situation" clause. This move would allow Japan to legally exercise its right to collective self-defense—a scenario that deeply infuriates Beijing. Xue's shocking comment was allegedly posted in response to this policy statement.
International media has classified the incident as a stark example of China's aggressive "Wolf Warrior" diplomacy—a style characterized by confrontational, hostile, and extreme language from its diplomats. The Times (UK) noted the incident could "mark a new low in Japan-China relations."
Regional Implications
Japanese newspapers have splashed the story across their front pages, using terms like "shocking" and "assassination threat."
While Beijing has previously accused Takaichi's statements on Taiwan of being "dangerous and provocative," this alleged comment from one of its own diplomats has escalated the feud from a policy dispute to a direct personal threat.
Experts warn the incident could have severe consequences:
Diplomatic Spiral: It could push Japan and China into a fresh cycle of diplomatic retaliation.
Regional Security: The crisis will further destabilize the fragile security situation in Northeast Asia.
The U.S. Triangle: It directly impacts the sensitive U.S.-Japan-China geopolitical triangle.
As Reuters noted, "How Beijing handles this incident will be a major test of China's diplomatic line."
Current Situation: The post remains deleted. Tokyo is now waiting for a formal response from Beijing, as the international community watches closely to see if this event will become the most serious Japan-China diplomatic rupture in years.
CaliToday.Net