Flags of China and Japan [Reuters Yonhap News]

China, while stating that the outcome of the Japanese general election, which saw an overwhelming victory for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, is an internal affair, has issued a strong warning message by referencing issues such as Taiwan and the Yasukuni Shrine.

Lin Jian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a regular press conference on the 9th, in response to a question about the Japanese general election results, that "some deep-seated and structural issues, as well as the trends and sentiments reflected in this election, are worthy of deep reflection by insightful individuals in all sectors of Japan and the international community."

He urged, "The Japanese ruling authorities should not ignore the international community's concerns but face them squarely, walk the path of peaceful development, and not follow in the footsteps of militarism."

He warned, "If Japanese far-right forces misjudge the situation and act recklessly, they will inevitably face resistance from the Japanese people and strong condemnation from the international community."

Lin also brought up the Taiwan issue, unleashing sharp criticism as if determined to do so.

He stated, "China's policy toward Japan is clear and stable and will not be changed by the outcome of any single election in Japan. Japan must retract Takaichi's erroneous remarks related to Taiwan and demonstrate the minimum sincerity of upholding the political foundation of China-Japan relations through concrete actions."

He emphasized, "The Chinese people's resolve to safeguard national core interests and the achievements of victory in World War II and the post-war international order is unwavering. Our resolve to counter and thwart the provocations and rash actions of various anti-China forces is also unwavering."

Lin strongly opposed Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks regarding the maintenance of the environment of the Yasukuni Shrine, where Class-A war criminals from the Pacific War are enshrined.

He stated, "The essence of the Yasukuni Shrine issue lies in whether Japan can correctly understand and deeply reflect upon its history of militaristic aggression, which is a matter directly related to human conscience."

He added, "Forgetting history is betrayal, and denying guilt means recidivism. Japan must be cautious in its words and actions regarding significant historical issues such as the Yasukuni Shrine, refrain from repeating the same mistakes, and demonstrate a thorough break from militarism through concrete actions."

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Takaichi, the LDP secured an overwhelming victory in the general election held the previous day, obtaining 316 seats, which exceeded the two-thirds majority (310 seats) required to propose constitutional amendments, out of a total of 465 seats.

China-Japan relations sharply deteriorated last November following remarks made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding the contingency of Taiwan.

In response, Chinese authorities advised their citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan, and some airlines implemented free refund and change policies for flights to Japan.

Following the inauguration of Prime Minister Takaichi, a staunch conservative, in October of last year, China, contrary to precedent, sent a congratulatory message only from Premier Li Qiang, not from President Xi Jinping.

China had sent congratulatory messages from President Xi Jinping during the inaugurations of former Prime Ministers Yoshihide Suga, Fumio Kishida, and Shigeru Ishiba since 2020.