THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
November 18, 2025 at 17:12 JST
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara speaks at a news conference on Nov. 17. (Takeshi Iwashita)
Japan will warn its students in China to stay safe amid the fierce backlash from Beijing over the prime minister’s remarks concerning a potential Taiwan contingency.
Education Minister Yohei Matsumoto said at a news conference on Nov. 18 that he would issue a notice calling for efforts to ensure the safety of Japanese children, students and exchange students in China.
He said the safety notice would be issued the same day.
According to the education ministry, there are 3,391 children and students attending Japanese schools in China.
The number of Japanese university students studying abroad in China was 3,133 as of fiscal 2023, and there were 7,078 Japanese students enrolled in Chinese universities and other institutions as of fiscal 2022.
Matsumoto mentioned past incidents in which children were killed or injured at Japanese schools in China, saying, “We must avoid such a situation at all costs. We want to ensure all possible measures are taken.”
Meanwhile, regarding the Chinese government's call for its citizens to carefully reconsider studying in Japan, Matsumoto said, “I believe there is an overall government policy. I think it will be discussed within that context.”
Separately, the Japanese Embassy in China on Nov. 17 called on Japanese nationals residing in the country to pay attention to their safety.
Regarding this matter, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a news conference on Nov. 18, “Based on recent local media reports concerning Japan-China relations, we have called for sufficient safety measures.”
Additionally, in response to a statement made by the Chinese side on Nov. 17 that Premier Li Qiang has no plans to meet with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at this weekend's Group of 20 summit, Kihara said, “The Japanese side is open to holding various dialogues between Japan and China.”
Kihara explained, “Nothing has been decided regarding meetings with any country on the occasion of the G-20.”
He then indicated Japan's willingness to engage in dialogue at various levels with China.
(This article was compiled from reports written by Nobuhiko Tajima and Amane Shimazaki.)
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