China has warned its citizens not to travel to Japan in the near term, the first significant retaliatory move by Beijing in an escalating row following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi¡¯s comments that Tokyo could intervene militarily if China uses force against Taiwan.

¡°Recently, Japanese leaders have made blatantly provocative remarks regarding Taiwan, severely damaging the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan and posing significant risks to the personal safety and lives of Chinese citizens in Japan,¡± China¡¯s Foreign Ministry said in a statement late Friday.

¡°The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in Japan solemnly remind Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan in the near future,¡± it added.