China’s Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China announced Thursday that it will tighten export controls on dual-use items to Japan. A commerce ministry spokesman said: “Recently, Japanese leaders have openly made erroneous statements concerning Taiwan, hinted at the possibility of military intervention in the Taiwan Strait, grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs, and seriously violated the one-china principle. Their nature and impact are extremely vile.”
According to the Ministry of Commerce’s Announcement No. 1 of 2026, in order to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as nonproliferation, decided to strengthen export controls on dual-use items to Japan. All dual-use items are prohibited from export to Japan’s military users, military uses, and all other end-user uses that contribute to the enhancement of Japan’s military capabilities.
The announcement said that organizations and individuals in any country or region that violate the above provisions by transferring or providing related dual-use items originating in the People’s Republic of China to organizations and individuals in Japan will be held legally responsible.
Japan’s TBS Television, Fuji Television and other media that the move is the Chinese prime minister’s comments on Taiwan’s counter-measures. Reported that the specific scope of restrictions is not clear, but rare earths and rare earth magnets and other items may be included in the embargo list. The Sankei Shimbun said this could have a broad impact on the business of Japanese companies.
Takaguchi yasuta, a visiting professor at Chiba University, said in an article on the 6th that he had not expected the sudden discussion of a“Rare earth embargo”, although there is still uncertainty about the severity and scope of the restrictions, but if the situation escalates, sino-japanese relations will not be able to maintain the current stalemate. Without a quick resolution, Japanese industry will grind to a halt.
He added: “Did the prime minister see this coming? was he prepared to deal with it? These are all concerns. 2026 has only just begun, and it is already lurching into an imminent crisis.”
Prime Minister Kojima plans to relax the rules on exports of defense equipment, including weapons of destruction, in 2026, Kyodo news agency reported Wednesday. She will also revise 3 security-related documents and further increase defense spending.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Mao Ning said on the 6th that Japan is constantly looking away, provoking its neighbors, creating incidents, exaggerating tensions, and concocting the illusion that it is“Threatened” by others and has nowhere to go, using the pretexts of“Survival” and“Defense” to tie their own people to the chariot in order to realize the ambitions behind it. The“Re-militarization” promoted by the right-wing forces in Japan has posed a threat to regional and world peace and stability.