China Sanctions Japanese Lawmaker Furuya

Beijing, March 30 (Jiji Press)--The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Monday that the country will impose sanctions on Keiji Furuya, a member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party who heads a suprapartisan group of Japanese lawmakers seeking closer ties with Taiwan, effective immediately.

The sanctions, based on China's anti-foreign sanctions law, include a ban on entry into the country, including Hong Kong and Macau, and on exchanges and transactions with organizations and individuals in China as well as a freeze on his assets in China.

The ministry said that Furuya colluded with Taiwanese independence forces, violated the "one China" principle and violently interfered in Chinese internal affairs.

Furuya has frequently visited Taiwan in his capacity as head of the lawmakers' group. As recently as March 16, he traveled to the self-governing island to meet with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.

Beijing has strongly lashed out against remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about a potential Taiwan conflict. It has condemned an incident in which a Japanese Self-Defense Forces member was arrested Tuesday after trespassing at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]