New economic security minister Sanae Takaichi has pledged to keep a close eye on nations including China to protect Japan from danger.

"We don’t have a specific nation to watch in mind,” Takaichi said in a group interview on Monday. "However, we must keep a close eye on countries that could impact our economic security, including China.”

Takaichi, known for her hawkish stance toward Japan’s powerful neighbor, took her post this month amid increasing government awareness of economic security. Relations between the United States and China remain tense, while the war in Ukraine continues to cast a shadow over the global economy.