China Attacks Japan at U.N. Security Council Meetings; Representatives Ignore Agendas to Criticize Takaichi’s Remark

By Yasushi Kaneko / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

13:11 JST, December 17, 2025

NEW YORK — China has ignored the agendas of multiple recent meetings at the United Nations to instead launch a barrage of criticism against Japan, and Japan has consistently rebutted its claims.

China’s U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong condemned Japan at a Security Council meeting on Monday. He demanded Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi retract her comment at the Diet concerning a possible Taiwan contingency, stating, “[Her] remark has created a serious risk to peace in Asia and the world … We must never allow the resurgence of militarism and fascism.”

The meeting that day was intended to be a forum for discussing the role to be played by the next secretary-general, and Fu’s sudden comments on Japan were unrelated to the scheduled agenda.

Japan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Kazuyuki Yamazaki criticized Fu’s actions, which he called “inappropriate and disruptive to a discussion on the future of the United Nations.”

Yamazaki argued that Fu’s claims were incorrect, as Japan maintains a policy of exclusive defense-oriented security. He stressed that differences of opinion should be resolved through dialogue.

China also demanded a retraction of Takaichi’s remarks, labeling them extremely dangerous, during a U.N. General Assembly meeting in mid-November, despite this topic being entirely unrelated to the agenda at hand.

Following that, China has sent two letters of protest to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, calling on all member states to remain highly vigilant by claiming that Japan is “moving ahead with re-arming itself.”

The Japanese government has consistently refuted these claims, arguing that Japan has consistently contributed to peace and prosperity within the international community since the end of the war and calling for calm responses through dialogue.