Tension between Japan and China has escalated over the new Japanese leader's suggestion Tokyo could intervene militarily if Beijing attacks Taiwan.

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Takaichi, a hardline conservative who was approved by parliament as Japan's first female prime minister last week, is a regular visitor to Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine, which honours Japan's war dead, including soldiers and officials convicted of war crimes by an international tribunal.

Japan has warned its citizens in China to step up safety precautions and avoid crowded places amid a deepening dispute between Asia's two largest economies over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan.

China has intensified its economic pressure on Japan, with state-owned enterprises banning employees from travelling to its Asian neighbour, tour groups and a flagship forum being cancelled and Japanese film releases suspended.

From China’s point of view, the Japanese Prime Minister’s remarks on Taiwan test a red line - a trigger that sets this dispute apart from past flare-ups, analysts say.

China’s consul general Xue Jian in Osaka was the first to respond, reposting a news article about Ms Takaichi’s comments on social media with the caption, “cut off a dirty neck without a moment of hesitation”, which many understood as a threat to the Japanese prime minister.

Japan's Trade Minister Ryosei Akazawa said on Tuesday there are currently no particular changes in China's export control measures on rare earths and other materials. Akazawa's remarks come as Japan seeks to ease tensions with China amid an escalating dispute over Taiwan.