PM Takaichi Calls Chinese Sanctions on Lawmaker Great Honor

Tokyo, Oct. 9 (Jiji Press)--Keiji Furuya, a lawmaker of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, revealed Friday that he had received an email from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi calling Chinese sanctions against him a great honor.

Furuya told reporters that he received the email in April, a month after China announced sanctions against him, including an entry ban, claiming that he had colluded with Taiwan independence forces.

Furuya,who chairs a suprapartisan parliamentary group that promotes friendship between Japan and Taiwan, explained that Takaichi intended to communicate "the idea that being singled out and recognized by a superpower is itself an honor."

Furuya is scheduled to meet with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te during his visit to Taiwan from Friday.

At a press conference the same day, Junya Ogawa, leader of the opposition Democratic Reform Party, criticized Takaichi's email.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]