Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reiterated the country's long-standing position that it understands and respects China's view on Taiwan, a comment that some Chinese social media users interpreted as an attempt to backtrack on her recent statements, Bloomberg reports, writes UNN.
Details
"The fundamental position of the Japanese government on Taiwan remains unchanged from that set out in the 1972 Japan-China Joint Communiqué," Takaichi said in parliament on Wednesday. She was asked whether there had been any change in the official position that Japan respects China's view that Taiwan is an "inseparable part of its territory" without specifically agreeing to the "one China" principle.
As noted, on Thursday morning, the phrase "Sanae Takaichi finally conceded" was the #1 trending topic on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, similar to X. Some users interpreted Takaichi's latest comments as a sign that the Japanese prime minister was backing down, although others said more clarity was still needed.
Last month, Takaichi suggested that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could mean a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, effectively implying that her country could deploy its troops alongside other countries in such a scenario, the publication notes. Since then, Tokyo and Beijing have been embroiled in a spat in which China has taken various economic and diplomatic measures against Japan.
In a joint statement that formalized diplomatic relations between the two countries more than half a century ago, Japan stated that it "fully understands and respects" China's view that Taiwan is an "inseparable part" of its territory, according to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Since Takaichi spoke on the issue early last month, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu has repeatedly stated that Japan's position has not changed since 1972, but this is not yet enough for China.
According to the Global Times, in response to a media inquiry regarding Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's statement, which on Wednesday referred to the joint Sino-Japanese statement, saying that she "understands and respects" the Chinese government's position that Taiwan is an integral part of China's territory, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that "after verification, the relevant reports are inaccurate." Takaichi only said that Japan's fundamental position on the Taiwan issue is as set out in the 1972 joint Sino-Japanese statement, and this position has not changed - nothing more.
Addition
So far, Takaichi has resisted China's demands to retract her remarks, repeatedly stating that Tokyo's position on any security emergency remains unchanged.
"In a hypothetical scenario where a military conflict erupts in the Taiwan Strait, tens of thousands of American troops based in Japan could also be involved," the publication writes. "Then they would become targets for attacks, increasing the risk of Japan being drawn into the war, given its security alliance with the US," the publication indicates.