China's vice foreign minister reportedly "made serious protests" against Takaichi's "incorrect statement about China."
Takaichi said in a statement last week that armed attacks on Taiwan could motivate Japan to send forces to support the island under so-called "collective self-defense."
The government in Beijing considers Taiwan to be part of China, but in practice Taiwan has been self-governing and separate since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, when rival governments took over in Beijing and Taipei respectively.
On Friday, local time, a Japanese government spokesman said the country's stance towards Taiwan was "unchanged" and called for "peace and stability."




