"Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday, has condemned remarks made by Japanese officials concerning the possession of nuclear weapons, describing it as a 'severe violation' and warning Tokyo was moving towards 'wrongful militarisation' under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's leadership. "This is yet another attempt of the Japanese side to intentionally test the bottom line of the international community and reveal the long-standing wrongful proposition and ambition of Prime Minister Takaichi and Japanese right-wing forces to keep remilitarising Japan," stated Lin. "It's by no means an isolated incident," he added. "These moves challenge the post-war international order, threaten regional peace and stability, and do not serve the interest of the Japanese people." The response comes after a senior security aide to Prime Minister Takaichi argued that 'Japan should possess nuclear weapons', describing them as a 'necessary deterrent' against nuclear threats from China, Russia, and North Korea. The remarks prompted an immediate backlash in Tokyo, triggering public protests and criticism from opposition parties. Separately, Lin raised concerns about Japan's nuclear safety following a water leak containing radioactive substances at the decommissioned Fugen nuclear reactor in Tsuruga City earlier this week. "The latest incident once again exposed serious deficiencies in the operation, maintenance and safety supervision of Japan’s nuclear facilities," said Lin. "This incident again highlighted the need for the international community to further step up all-around oversight and monitoring over the management of the discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water and the operation of the equipment and facilities in order to protect the marine environment." He urged Japan to draw lessons from the Fukushima nuclear accident, fulfil its nuclear safety responsibilities, and promptly explain the situation. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) confirmed that about 20 millilitres of water containing tritium leaked during the dismantling of a pipe. Three workers left the area shortly after the discovery. Following the incident, JAEA highlighted that no radioactive substances leaked outside the controlled area, and that monitoring posts measuring radiation levels within and around the facility have shown no abnormalities. During the briefing, Lin hit back at US plans to impose additional tariffs on semiconductor imports from 2027, describing the measures as 'unjustifiable' and warning that Beijing would retaliate if Washington moves ahead. "China firmly opposes the US slapping tariffs and going after Chinese companies. The US practice destabilises global industrial and supply chains, stifles other countries’ semiconductor industry, and serves no one’s interests," he said. "If the U.S. continues down the wrong path, China will take corresponding measures to firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," Lin added. The remarks followed an announcement by President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday that it plans to impose tariffs on Chinese semiconductor imports over what it described as Beijing’s 'unreasonable' pursuit of dominance in the chip sector, though the measures would be delayed until June 2027. Under the proposal, the tariff rate will be announced at least 30 days in advance, following a year-long 'Section 301' investigation into China’s exports of older-technology, or 'legacy' chips, launched under former President Joe Biden’s administration. The filing said the initial tariff rate would be set at zero for the first 18 months."