Facing reprisals from Beijing for a remark over Taiwan, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi must walk a fine line to prevent escalating the dispute without looking weak at home.

Weeks into the job, Japan’s new leader has come face-to-face with what it means to cross China’s red line on Taiwan.

Japan will likely lean more heavily on the US and its allies if China escalates economic pressure, as Tokyo seeks to navigate the fallout from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks linking Taiwan’s security to its own.

HONG KONG -- China will suspend imports of Japanese seafood, according to ABC News partner NHK, escalating a diplomatic dispute triggered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent comments suggesting Tokyo could take military action if China attacks Taiwan.

China and Japan have been locked in an escalating row, set off by Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi's suggestion earlier this month that Japan could respond with its own self-defence force if China attacked Taiwan. In response, a Chinese diplomat made a comment which some interpreted as a threat to behead Takaichi.

Beijing suggested it might reimpose a ban on seafood imports from Japan after warning its citizens to avoid travel there and postponing the releases of at least two Japanese movies.

China escalated its retaliation against Japan, suspending imports of Japanese seafood and halting approvals for new films — the latest signs that their diplomatic spat is far from over.

As China reportedly mulls a ban on Japanese seafood amid a standoff between the Asian neighbors, Taiwan's leader shows support for Tokyo, with his lunch.

China has reacted strongly to Japan’s Prime Minister suggesting an attack on Taiwan could prompt Japan to militarily intervene.

By Liz Lee and Tim Kelly BEIJING/TOKYO (Reuters) -Chinese diplomats airing hawkish views, known as "wolf warriors", have returned to the global stage, drumming up criticism of Japan's prime minister in countries that suffered from its military actions during World War Two.