Previously, China’s foreign ministry stated that Seki, a naturalized japanese citizen, had “spread false information, colluded with Japanese anti-China forces, and wantonly attacked and smeared China.” The ministry also referenced Seki’s visits to the Yasukuni Shrine,a site that honors japan’s war dead,including individuals considered war criminals by some.
As an inevitable result of the sanctions, China announced it would freeze Seki’s assets within the country, prohibit transactions with him by Chinese entities, and deny entry visas to him and his family.Japanese officials protested the sanctions at the time, calling for their withdrawal and noting that Seki was the first Japanese lawmaker to be sanctioned by the chinese government.
Despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations, Japan and Taiwan maintain close unofficial ties, and visits by Japanese lawmakers to the democratic island are common.
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