China and Japan summoned their respective ambassadors for consultations this Friday, following a diplomatic incident involving statements by their authorities regarding the island of Taiwan. Tensions between Asia’s two largest economies came to a head after Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, suggested that the Japanese government would respond militarily to any attempt by Beijing to attack Taipei, and after a demonstration by China’s consul general in Osaka, who said he would “cut his throat,” apparently referring to the prime minister.
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Takaichi, the first woman to rule Japan, said in a speech in parliament last week that an armed attack by China on Taiwan could justify sending Japanese troops to support Taiwan, citing the two countries’ “right of collective self-defense.”
-If (a Taiwanese emergency) involves warships and the use of force, no matter how you look at it, it could be a situation that threatens (Japan’s) survival,” said the Prime Minister, who is a disciple of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and is a fierce critic of China and its expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. –The so-called Taiwan emergency has become extremely serious, and we need to assume the worst-case scenario.
Following these statements, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong summoned Ambassador Kenji Kanasugi on Thursday for consultations. According to a statement from the Chinese ministry on Friday, Mr. Son has lodged a formal complaint with Japanese authorities about the prime minister’s “erroneous statements”.
“If anyone dares to interfere in any way with the cause of China’s reunification, this country will definitely respond firmly.” Xue Jian, the Chinese consul general in Osaka, threatened to “cut that filthy throat without a second’s hesitation,” an apparent reference to the Japanese prime minister. The post was later deleted, but did not prevent the Japanese government from passing a resolution protesting Ambassador Wu Kenhao and calling for the ruling party to declare the consul persona non grata.
Japan normalized diplomatic relations with China in 1972, but relations have always been strained due to historical issues. Japan also maintains warm relations with Taipei.
Japan’s prime minister has recently avoided commenting directly on Taiwan’s defense, preferring to maintain “strategic ambiguity.” This is the same technique used by the United States, which has not revealed exactly how it plans to mobilize military force to defend Taiwan.
This position is also clear from comments made this Friday by Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, who said the government’s position on Taiwan remains “consistent” with the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration, the document in which Japan endorsed the “One China” policy.
Yi Kuanheng, a professor at the University of Tokyo, said Takaichi’s comments may reflect his “personal tendency” to take a firmer stance. But he cautioned that while clearer communication “could increase deterrence,” there was a need to “find a delicate balance with the other side of the coin, which is not to arouse suspicion in adversaries.”
Japan’s voluntary rules stipulate that military action can only be taken under certain conditions, such as an existential threat.
Wang Hung-zhen, a political analyst at Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University, said the Japanese government’s comments sent a very strong message to China.
“Japan is no longer just watching from the sidelines,” Wang said. -The likelihood that Japan will intervene to deter China and prevent Chinese military action around the Taiwan Strait has increased significantly. (With AFP)
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