Japan: Japan has cautioned its citizens residing in China to adopt increased safety precautions and avoid crowded areas as tensions rise between China and Japan over Taiwan.

According to Thai News Agency, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, who also serves as the government spokesman, emphasized during a press conference on Tuesday that the latest advice reflects a focus on safety measures. This comes as Japanese sentiment in Chinese media has deteriorated following recent diplomatic incidents that have strained relations between the neighboring countries.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently intensified the diplomatic row when she informed Japanese lawmakers that any Chinese aggression against Taiwan could jeopardize Japan’s security and potentially provoke a military response.

The Japanese Embassy in China has advised citizens to respect local customs and to exercise caution when interacting with locals. It urged them to remain vigilant about their surroundings, especially regarding suspicious individuals, recommended against traveling alone, and advised heightened caution when traveling with children.

In response to the escalating dispute, Japan has been seeking to ease tensions, while China has taken steps such as advising its citizens to avoid travel to Japan and announcing that the Chinese premier has no plans to meet with Prime Minister Takaichi during the G20 summit in South Africa this week. Kihara noted that no decision has been made on a bilateral meeting at the summit, but Japan remains open to “multi-lateral dialogue” with China.