Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s recent parliamentary remarks about Taiwan triggered strong backlash from China, resulting in sanctions and economic pressure on Japan. Liberal Democratic Party Vice President Taro Aso addressed the controversy publicly in Tokyo on Wednesday, announcing support for Takaichi and downplaying the situation, saying criticism from China was “not a big deal” and that the issue has not developed into a major problem.
Aso stated Takaichi was merely reiterating her established position in parliament and that there was no impropriety in her comments, commending her response to the sensitive cross-strait issue. He described Takaichi as Japan’s first female prime minister and a symbol of party reform, noting her current “extremely high approval ratings.”
Takaichi has recently reaffirmed in parliament that Japan must prepare for contingencies involving Taiwan, drawing repeated condemnation from China’s foreign ministry and direct accusations of “stoking confrontation” over the cross-strait situation.
Responding to the criticism, Aso said Beijing’s rhetorical attacks were “just fine” and stressed that the matter has “not developed into any big problem so far.”
Photo: AP
Aso has consistently taken a firm stance on “a Taiwan contingency,” publicly stating as early as January 2024 that, if conflict erupted in the Taiwan Strait, Japan might designate it an “existential crisis situation” justifying the exercise of collective self-defense. He referenced roughly 20,000 Japanese nationals living in Taiwan, saying Japan would be responsible for their evacuation but that safe withdrawal in a non-combat scenario would be difficult.
He added, “the current situation is different than in the past,” and asserted that if war broke out, Japan would deploy submarines and warships in the Taiwan Strait, reaffirming that “a Taiwan contingency is unquestionably an existential crisis situation.”
