China Sanctions Japanese Lawmaker Over Taiwan Visits

China imposed sanctions on Monday against Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya, accusing him of colluding with Taiwan independence forces through repeated visits to the self-governed island, in a move that highlights escalating tensions between Beijing and Tokyo over Taiwan's status.

The sanctions, announced by China's Foreign Ministry, bar Furuya from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao. They also prohibit Chinese individuals and organizations from engaging with him and freeze any assets he may hold in China. The ministry stated that Furuya, a member of Japan's House of Representatives and head of a bipartisan parliamentary group on Japan-Taiwan relations, had visited Taiwan multiple times despite Beijing's strong opposition. His most recent trip occurred in mid-March, when he met Taiwanese President Lai Chingte in Taipei to discuss cooperation in areas such as energy security, green energy, and supply chain enhancement. During the visit, Furuya also proposed establishing trilateral military band exchanges involving Japan, the United States, and Taiwan.

Beijing views Taiwan as an inseparable part of its territory and adheres to the One China principle, which asserts that...