The diplomatic row over comments on Taiwan has evolved from a war of words to Beijing advising its citizens against travelling and studying abroad in Japan.

Takaichi this month became the first sitting Japanese leader in decades to publicly link a Taiwan Strait crisis with the possible deployment of Japanese troops, prompting Beijing to unleash a flurry of economic reprisals and threats of more retribution.

Taiwan is watching anxiously as it finds itself at the centre of a verbal clash between Beijing and Tokyo, fuelling fears that Taipei could be drawn into a major international conflict. The escalating row erupted after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated a Taiwan crisis could be a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan,

The opinion poll comes at a time when a diplomatic spat between Tokyo and Beijing has intensified following Takaichi's remarks related to Taiwan. The Japanese premier said on November 7 that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could amount to a "survival-threatening situation" and trigger a potential military response from Tokyo.

China has responded to comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan about Taiwan with economic reprisal and island patrols.

The leader of Japan's main opposition party on Sunday criticized Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for what he described as "rather rash" remarks about Japan's response to a Taiwan contingency, as the comments have grown into a bilateral diplomatic spat.

The Japanese public is divided over exercising collective self-defense against a Chinese attack on Taiwan. A recent poll shows mixed opinions, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi aims to boost defense spending.

BEIJING—Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi continued to be buffeted by verbal attacks by the administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping a week after suggesting that Japan would provide support for Taiwan in the event of a Chinese naval blockade.