Japan's Minister for Economic Security Kimi Onoda holds a press conference on December 23, 2025. Photo: Screenshot from the TBS News

Amid strong backlash caused by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous Taiwan-related remarks, including economic impact to Japan, Takaichi cabinet still dodges this issue, with one Minister even refusing to acknowledge the existence of economic losses, such as no panda in Japan and declining Chinese tourists in face of reporter's repeated question. 

Japan's Minister for Economic Security Kimi Onoda repeatedly declined to comment on the deterioration of China-Japan relations during a press conference on Tuesday, claiming "I don't understand what you're saying" when asked whether the Sanae Takaichi administration was prioritizing a tough stance on China to maintain high approval ratings at the expense of the livelihoods of ordinary citizens, a response that has sparked controversy among netizens.

At the press conference held by Kimi Onoda on Tuesday, a freelance reporter raised several questions concerning China-Japan relations, according to a video released by TBS News. The reporter first asked about the economic losses caused by China's suspension of rare earth exports and how long Onoda believed it would take for the scale of those losses to be reduced by half. Onoda declined to answer, saying she was unable to respond to specific questions.

The reporter then followed up by asking whether the Takaichi administration was prioritizing high approval ratings by maintaining a tough stance against China, suggesting that its approach appeared to favor "cabinet approval ratings first" rather than "people's livelihoods first." Onoda again avoided a direct response, saying, "I don't quite understand what you're saying."

As no clear answer was given, the reporter continued, saying that an administration that continuously worsens China-Japan relations is almost unprecedented in the past and is already harming Japan's national interests, citing declining numbers of Chinese tourists and the loss of giant pandas as examples. He asked how the government viewed the economic losses resulting from deteriorating bilateral relations, and whether the Takaichi administration should exercise greater caution in its remarks, adding that if there had been any reflection.

Onoda insisted that the situation described by the reporter did not exist, despite recent reports by multiple Japanese media outlets that Japan may soon enter a period without giant pandas and that the number of Chinese tourists has declined. 

When pressed further on whether she was indifferent even if China-Japan relations deteriorated and economic losses occurred, Onoda again said she had no comment.

The reporter then asked whether the government lacked any willingness to improve relations, whether it had considered avoiding remarks that could further inflame tensions as in the past, and whether there had been any reflection on the worsening of bilateral ties.

Appearing surprised at first and then frowning, Onoda claimed that as a country, it is important to clearly and firmly express one's position rather than worry about or second-guess other countries, adding that this approach should continue, according to the video.

In response, the reporter said he understood this to mean that economic losses were acceptable as part of the government's basic stance, thanked the minister, and concluded the exchange, as mockery was heard in the room, the video shows.

Onoda's performance when she faced the media at the press conference drew criticism from some netizens. A user on X, @fukakunimo_so, posted: "Since you were elected by the people to become a politician, shouldn't you work for the people? You are abandoning your duties as a politician. The country exists for the people, not the other way around." The netizen described Onoda's response as "extremely immature."

A netizen on X, @uresy1st, attached a tag calling for Kimi Onoda's resignation and questioned, "Is Kimi Onoda an idiot or something?" The user added, "She doesn't seem to understand that the mission of a politician is to consider every process, devise countermeasures, and ensure people can lead stable, day-to-day lives."

Regarding her response, "I don't understand what you're saying," a netizen on X, @turningpointjpn, mocked Onoda, writing, "Isn't this something even an elementary school student could understand!?" and added sarcastically, "So Kimi Onoda's Japanese comprehension level is below elementary school."

Some netizens also criticized the freelance journalist who fired off the questions. In the comment section under a related YouTube video of the press conference, a user identified as @マグマ大 wrote, "The gap in the quality of reporters' questions is terrible—astonishing."

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Onoda has an American father and a Japanese mother, according to the Japan Times. Asahi News reported that she is the youngest member of the Takaichi Cabinet.

According to the official website of the Liberal Democratic Party, Onoda began her career as a member of the Kita-ku Assembly in Tokyo. She later worked as a staff member in the Public Relations Department of a game production company before entering national politics as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Justice.

This is not the first time Onoda has faced criticism for remarks related to China. Earlier this month, she formally apologized and retracted inaccurate statements regarding "Chinese purchases of land on Kasado Island," Sankei Shimbun reported.

On November 26, during a Cabinet Committee meeting of the Japanese House of Representatives, Kimi Onoda stated in response to questioning that she was "aware of the facts" regarding Chinese purchases of land on Kasado Island. Her remark was interpreted as implying that the Japanese government had officially confirmed the purchases.

However, after inquiry by Sakurai Shu, a lawmaker from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Cabinet Office found that the government had never investigated the land transactions and could not verify the owners' nationalities through real estate records. Onoda's statement was therefore inaccurate.

On December 3, Onoda formally retracted her inaccurate remarks and publicly apologized. She acknowledged that she had merely inferred the owners' nationality as Chinese based on their names and registered addresses, using this as a reference for her statement. In fact, the Japanese government had not verified the information, and her remarks should have been expressed as "aware of related reports" rather than "aware of the facts."

"Although I bear final responsibility for checking the relevant information, this incident occurred, and I deeply apologize," Onoda said.

Previously, regarding Japanese side, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that "We once again urge the Japanese side to sincerely repent for and correct its wrongdoings, retract Prime Minister Takaichi's erroneous remarks as it should, fully and accurately articulate its political commitments made on the Taiwan question in the four political documents between China and Japan, and fulfill its obligations as a defeated country stipulated in documents with full effect under international law, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender."

Global Times