Tokyo-Beijing Row deepens: Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi faces scrutiny over step-grandson's choice of Chinese University

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faces domestic backlash and Chinese accusations of hypocrisy after news broke that her 19-year-old step-grandson, Ren Yamamoto, enrolled in a four-year undergraduate programme at a top Chinese university this April. Ren is the son of Takaichi’s step-son, Ken Yamamoto.

Reports indicate Takaichi, who has maintained a strong pro-Taiwan stance, learned of his enrollment just before his departure. Displeased, she reportedly could not interfere with the decision. The situation has intensified public criticism. Social media users on X accused her of political hypocrisy, though others defended the move by noting that children of Chinese officials frequently study in the West.

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This controversy unfolds amid severely strained Tokyo-Beijing relations, which plummeted last November after Takaichi suggested a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response. Beijing, claiming sovereignty over Taiwan, demanded a retraction and retaliated with heavy economic measures. China reinstated a ban on Japanese seafood imports, accused Japan of seeking to remilitarise following its increased defence budget, and imposed severe export restrictions on "dual-use" technologies. Consequently, Japan downgraded its diplomatic description of ties with China to "strategic" and "mutually beneficial."

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The economic fallout includes Beijing halting major rare earth mineral exports to Japan since December, including dysprosium, terbium, yttrium oxide, and gallium. China publicly tightened these export controls multiple times, specifically targeting major conglomerates like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' shipbuilding and aero engine divisions. The severe disruption to manufacturing prompted the US administration to intervene, pressing Beijing to restart the rare earth shipments to prevent far-reaching damage to global supply chains.