Japan issues safety advisory in China ahead of Nanjing Massacre anniversary

TOKYO- The Japanese embassy in China issued a safety advisory on Friday ahead of next week's anniversary of "the Nanjing Incident", or the Nanjing Massacre, which it said is considered particularly sensitive.

Tensions have intensified since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament last month that a hypothetical Chinese attack on democratically governed Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo.

"Anti-Japanese sentiment tends to rise on days related to historical issues between Japan and China, and special caution is required in light of recent local reporting on Japan-China relations," the embassy said in a statement.

The 1937 mass killings in Nanjing by invading Japanese troops have long been a flashpoint in China-Japan relations.

The advisory urged citizens to pay close attention to their surroundings and make every possible effort to ensure their safety when outside.

In particular, the embassy asked people to refrain from speaking loudly in public and avoid wearing clothing or carrying items that would make it obvious they were Japanese.

Kaori Kaneko/Reuters