China and Japan are locked in a diplomatic dispute over a UN Charter clause that permits action against former Axis powers without Security Council approval. Chinese authorities have warned Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi against military involvement in the Taiwan dispute, citing her remarks as evidence of resurgent Japanese militarism. Japan has dismissed China’s interpretation of the clause as outdated, emphasizing that the UN General Assembly recommended removing the ‘enemy state’ provision in 1995, though the formal amendment process was never completed. The clash comes amid heightened tensions over Japan’s defense posture, with the country set to deploy medium-range surface-to-air missiles on its southern island chain. Russia also has unresolved issues with Japan, particularly regarding the four southernmost Kuril Islands, which remain a point of contention for Japanese nationalists.