The Japanese government is taking uncomfortable steps to prepare its citizens for a possible future war that its military would not be able to avoid.

Japan is threatening China militarily which is "completely unacceptable", Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his German counterpart, after Japan said that Chinese fighter jets had aimed their radar at Japanese military aircraft.

Recent weeks have seen a growing Chinese coast guard presence around disputed territories in the East China Sea controlled by Japan

No end in sight to spat between Japan and China over Taiwan, as neither Tokyo nor Beijing shows signs of backing down.

In a world beset by conflict in the Middle East and an enduring war in Ukraine, tensions are again heating up in East Asia. Will cooler heads prevail?

China and Japan are two of Asia’s most powerful nations and the region’s biggest trading partners. Yet centuries of intense rivalry mean their economic embrace can never be taken for granted.

A diplomatic row with Japan over Taiwan has China turning to Britain and France for support, appealing to their shared history as wartime allies.

Japan–China tensions spiked dramatically after Tokyo accused Chinese J-15s of locking fire-control radar on Japanese F-15s near Okinawa, triggering fears of a dangerous escalation. Japan vowed a calm but firm response,

While diplomatic tensions between the two countries are not new, both have little to gain from the current dispute subsiding.

World War II narratives, up for grabs. In September, China held a military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Cannon fire, fighter jets, missil