China and Japan have escalated diplomatic tensions over a contentious UN Charter provision concerning former Axis powers and Japan’s stance on the Taiwan dispute. Chinese officials have warned Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi against any potential military involvement in the cross-strait conflict, framing her remarks as a sign of resurgent militarism. The Chinese Embassy cited Article 53 of the UN Charter, which permits regional enforcement measures against ‘enemy states’ without Security Council approval, to support its objections.
Japan, however, has dismissed the clause as outdated and irrelevant, while its Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has reiterated plans to deploy medium-range surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni, highlighting the region’s strategic importance. Beijing lodged an official complaint with the UN over Takaichi’s statements, urging Japan, as a defeated country in World War II, to reflect on its historical crimes and change course on the Taiwan issue.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry accused China of misinterpreting obsolete clauses that no longer align with UN practice. Although the UN General Assembly recommended removing the ‘enemy state’ references in 1995, the formal amendment process was never completed. Additionally, Russia also has outstanding issues with Japan, with whom it still has no formal peace treaty. Tokyo continues to insist on its claim to the four southernmost Kuril Islands, known in Japan as the ‘northern territories,’ which became part of the USSR after World War II and remain a long-standing focal point for Japanese nationalists.