Taiwan evacuated more than 3,000 residents from vulnerable areas and closed schools and offices on Tuesday as tropical storm Fung-wong approached, news agency AP reported. The storm had earlier killed at least 18 people and displaced more than 1.

Beijing said Takaichi's remarks seriously violate the spirit of a 1972 agreement between the two countries, under which Japan acknowledged the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of China and said it "understands and respects" Beijing's position on Taiwan.