China's Foreign Ministry says it has placed a Japanese opposition lawmaker on a sanctions list for spreading false claims about Taiwan and other issues.
The ministry said on Monday that Seki Hei has long spread fallacies on issues including Taiwan, the Senkaku Islands in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture, history, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Tibet Autonomous Region and Hong Kong.
The ministry argues that Seki, a member of the Japan Innovation Party, interfered with China's internal affairs and damaged the country's sovereignty.
Under the sanctions that took effect on Monday, the lawmaker's assets in China will be frozen.
Beijing will also stop issuing visas for him and his relatives, and they will be denied entry into the country.
Seki was born in China and became a naturalized Japanese citizen. He worked as a critic and published Japanese-language books on China before he was elected to the Upper House in July.
China has implemented similar sanctions against some US legislators and other individuals.
Seki told NHK that he is surprised but he finds the sanctions laughable because he has no assets in China and does not plan to visit the country.
He also said Beijing alleges that he has made false claims over issues of Taiwan, the Senkaku Islands and historical views, but being targeted by the sanctions effectively proves that his arguments are correct.
Japan controls the Senkaku Islands. China and Taiwan claim them.
The Japanese government maintains the islands are...
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