Japan’s PM defends Taiwan stance after Beijing diplomat issues social media threat
He criticized attempts by Japanese media and politicians to “deliberately exaggerate the mission” and accused Takaichi of “sending the wrong signal to Taiwan independent forces” and interfering in China’s affairs.
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Takaichi did not back down from his words when asked to clarify his position on the issue at the Diet, Japan’s national parliament, on Monday.
“Although I outlined a number of possible scenarios, I also said that the government will make a comprehensive decision, taking into account all the information, as to whether the situation constitutes a ‘survival-threatening situation,'” Takaichi said. he said.
Takaichi, a staunch conservative and national security hawk, has irritated Beijing with his pro-Taiwan stance. Last month, he published a photo of himself shaking hands with Taiwan’s former deputy premier Lin Hsin-i on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, prompting a protest from Beijing.
Responding to an opposition question about Japan’s contingency plans for the Taiwan conflict in his first speech to Parliament last week, Takaichi raised a scenario in which China could deploy military force, such as a naval blockade.
“No matter how you think about it, this could pose a survival-threatening situation,” Takaichi said Friday.
“Lining up civilian ships to make passage difficult would not be a survival threat,” he said. “If this was a wartime blockade with drones flying and various other developments, then it might look different.”
His comments move away from the vague language Japanese leaders have traditionally adopted when broaching the subject of the conflict in the Taiwan Strait. Former prime minister Shinzo Abe, whom Takaichi cited as his political mentor, said after leaving office: “The emergency in Taiwan is Japan’s emergency, and therefore an emergency for the Japan-US alliance.”
Japan’s westernmost island, Yonaguni, is only about 100 kilometers from Taiwan, and the United States has military bases on the nearby island of Okinawa.
US Ambassador to Japan George Glass weighed in on the controversy surrounding Xue’s post on Monday.
“The mask is slipping again. Just a few months ago (Xue) compared Israel to Nazi Germany. Now he is threatening the Prime Minister (Takaichi) and the Japanese people,” he said on X.
“It is time for Beijing to act like the “good neighbor” it has repeatedly talked about but repeatedly failed to be.”
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