China Sanctions Ex-Japan SDF Chief over Taiwan Links

Beijing, Dec. 15 (Jiji Press)–The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday announced sanctions against Shigeru Iwasaki, a former chief of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces’ Joint Staff who currently serves as a political adviser to the executive branch of Taiwan’s government. The sanctions, which took effect the same day, come as the administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping strongly criticizes Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks regarding a potential Taiwan contingency, urging its citizens not to visit Japan. The ministry claimed that Iwasaki has openly colluded with Taiwan independence forces and caused serious damage to China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Iwasaki is banned from entering China, including Hong Kong and Macau, and from engaging in interactions and transactions with individuals and groups in China. His assets in China, if any, will also be frozen. In September this year, China imposed similar sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Seki Hei of the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin no Kai) for spreading misinformation about Taiwan, the Senkaku Islands, and history issues. At a press conference in Tokyo on Monday, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said, “It is regrettable that the Chinese side is taking unilateral measures against the Japanese people, as if to intimidate positions and ways of thinking that are different from its own.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said the same day that Beijing has repeatedly protested Iwasaki’s appointment as a political adviser in Taiwan. After serving as the Japan Air SDF’s chief of staff, Iwasaki became chief of the SDF Joint Staff in 2012. Until stepping down in 2014, he worked on heightened tensions between Japan and China in the wake of Japan’s nationalization of the Senkaku Islands, which are also claimed by China. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]