Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

China on Monday announced countermeasures against Shigeru Iwasaki, the former chief of the Joint Staff of Self-Defense Forces of Japan, over his public collusion with "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, a move that observers believe is necessary and timely to clamp down on such ulterior moves, while also sends a powerful signal to Japanese politicians.  

Iwasaki should not be regarded as an isolated case as he embodies Japan's long-term tendency to meddle in the Taiwan question to serve its own strategic purpose - to substantially enhance its military capabilities, provide leeway for reshaping its military-industrial complex, and create a public opinion environment to break through the post-war security framework, they said.  

The countermeasures, effective on Monday, include to freeze all his movable and immovable property and other types of assets within the territory of the People's Republic of China; prohibit organizations and individuals within China from conducting any transactions, cooperation or other such activities with him; refuse to issue visas to him and deny his entry into the country (including the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions), according to a decree released on Monday by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

In response to a media inquiry asking reasons behind China's countermeasures, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests and is the red line that must not be crossed. China firmly opposes Iwasaki taking the post of so-called "political consultant" of the Taiwan authorities. We have protested to the Japanese side more than once and took countermeasures against Iwasaki. Rather than reflect on and correct his wrongdoings, Iwasaki went down the wrong path by colluding with "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and making provocations. This amounts to a severe violation of the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, a blatant interference in China's internal affairs, and a grave infringement on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

In response to his egregious moves, China, in accordance with the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, announced in the decree of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs countermeasures against Shigeru Iwasaki for his collusion with "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and provocations.
 

Strong signal 

Xiang Haoyu, a distinguished research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Monday that the countermeasures serve as a warning shot and reaffirmation of China's firm stance on the Taiwan question. 

Taiwan question is the core of China's core interests, as well as the most significant and sensitive issue underpinning the political foundation of China-Japan relations. On this question, China has no room whatsoever for compromise, concession or tolerance, Xiang stressed.

Should the relevant acts violate China's relevant laws, or should the Japanese side renege on its commitments regarding the one-China principle, it will inevitably trigger strong responses from China. This is not only a necessary measure for China to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests, but also a strong political signal sent to the Japanese government and Japanese politicians, Xiang noted.

According to public information, Iwasaki was born in 1953 and was promoted to chief of the Joint Staff of Japan's SDF in 2012, becoming the highest-ranking uniformed official in the Japan SDF. He blatantly said Japan should enhance stance on the so-called "southwestern direction" and China's Diaoyu Dao and adjacent islands. 

In March 2025, Iwasaki was appointed as a political consultant by Taiwan's secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, Asahi Shimbun reported then. Over the past months, Iwasaki had colluded with the DPP and per public reports, attended a tabletop war simulation of so-called mainland's military action against Taiwan region.  

In an interview with Japan's weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun in August, Iwasaki claimed that regional tension and sense of crisis has been increasing amid China's military expansion. He claimed he had been promoting exchanges with the Taiwan island and that duty has not been substantially different as a consultant. 

In response to an inquiry regarding the appointment of Iwasaki by Taiwan DPP authorities as a consultant, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said in March that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair that brooks no external interference. The one-China principle is the political foundation of China-Japan relations, said Mao.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Japan bears historical responsibilities to the Chinese people over the Taiwan question and should act with extra prudence and honor its promise of adhering to the one-China principle with concrete actions. We've lodged protests with the Japanese side. The DPP authorities' separatist provocations with foreign support are doomed to fail, said the spokesperson.

Da Zhigang, director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday that the words and deeds of Iwasaki, be it blatant or subtle, have sent wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.

Da noted there is a risk that the Japanese SDF could use Shigeru Iwasaki as an intermediary for certain overt or covert collusion with "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, or to carry out petty provocations. The countermeasures taken this time can deter individuals from engaging in interactions or exchanges with him.

Iwasaki had served as a consultant to a Japanese company that has extensive business in China, according to media outlets on the Taiwan island.  

Xiang said that Iwasaki's identity is highly sensitive. His former position is equivalent to the "chief of the joint staff" of the Japan's SDF. He long presided over key decision-making processes such as joint combat plans and strategic deployments, wielding significant influence in both Japan's military and political circles.
Iwasaki's role in DPP authorities and conceivably frequent recommendations and consultations with the separatist forces, is "by no means a personal move of a former officer; rather, it is precisely because of his special status that his actions have generated severe and pernicious repercussions," Xiang noted. 

Long-term tendency 

Iwasaki played an extremely negative role in seeking military intervention and interference in the Taiwan Straits situation, and the countermeasures from the Chinese side this time are precisely targeted, observers said.  

Xiang warned that Iwasaki's case was not an isolated one, nor personal actions, but reflected a long-term tendency of some Japanese politicians and military officials to meddle in the Taiwan question.

They have long been playing with fire by treading dangerously close to the red lines on the Taiwan question, attempting to breach the one-China principle, and by manipulating the Taiwan question, to advance Japan's own ulterior strategic purposes, said the expert.  

Japan's tendency to meddle in the Taiwan question has peaked recently, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous "Taiwan contingency" remarks at Diet on November 7 which significantly deteriorated Chinese-Japanese ties. Japan has also hyped the disputes in Diaoyu Dao and the so-called "radar illumination" to play victim and has accelerated moves to raise its defense budget to a record-high scale of 9 trillion yen ($60.3 billion).    

Since Takaichi took office, Japan has significantly stepped up the pace and intensity of its moves on China-related topics, and has been deliberately escalating geopolitical tensions through multiple means, Fang Di, a scholar at the Beijing Center for Japanese Studies of Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times. 

Hyping China-related topics has become Tokyo's key tool to advance structural adjustment to its security strategy and its narrative is by no means just diplomatic attitude, but paves way for military expansion and strategic shift. In essence they are prioritizing the strategic agenda of certain right-wing political forces over the genuine security interests of ordinary Japanese people, and even over the security and stability of all regional countries, the expert noted.