Tokyo rebukes China envoy's 'Japanese people would be dragged into fire' remark over Taiwan

Wu Jianghao, the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo, had said on Monday that Japanese people would be dragged into the fire if they took part in forces plotting to support Taiwan's independence and 'split China'.

Tokyo: Japan has lodged a protest against the Chinese ambassador's "extremely inappropriate" comments relating to Taiwan, chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Wednesday.

Wu Jianghao, the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo, said on Monday that Japanese people would be dragged into the fire if they took part in forces plotting to support Taiwan's independence and "split China", according to Japanese media reports.

"We consider it to be extremely inappropriate for an ambassador stationed in Tokyo to make such a comment, and we have immediately lodged a severe protest against it," Hayashi, the top government spokesperson, told reporters at a regular news conference.

Hayashi also reiterated Japan's position that Tokyo expects issues surrounding Taiwan to be resolved peacefully through dialogue.