Beijing sanctions Japanese lawmaker for ‘colluding with Taiwan independence forces’

Beijing has imposed sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya for allegedly “colluding with the Taiwan independence forces”.

“Japanese House of Representatives member Keiji Furuya, despite strong opposition from China, has repeatedly made provocative visits to Taiwan and colluded with ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces, seriously violating the one-China principle,” China’s foreign affairs ministry said in a statement on Monday.

During his visit to Taipei on March 17, Furuya, a lawmaker with Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, met Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te.

According to Taiwan Today, an online publication owned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei, Furuya called for expanded cooperation in next-generation sectors such as green energy, energy security and supply chain enhancement.

Taiwan’s official Central News Agency reported that Furuya had also proposed to establish “trilateral military band exchange” between Japan, the United States and Taiwan.