China accuses Japan’s PM Takaichi of dodging question on Taiwan sovereignty

China’s foreign ministry accused Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of being evasive about Japan’s stance on Taiwan’s sovereignty.

In a Dec. 3 session of the Japanese House of Councillors, opposition Komeito Party lawmaker Shinji Takeuchi questioned Prime Minister Takaichi about a statement she made in early November suggesting that Japan could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan (officially the Republic of China) as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to unify the island.

He noted that after her Nov. 7 remarks, the Chinese government urged its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan, having widespread effects, particularly on the tourism industry, according to Fuji News Network. He then asked Takaichi, “Is it correct to understand that the Japanese government’s position on Taiwan remains completely unchanged, as outlined in the Japan–China Joint Communique?”

The 1972 China–Japan Joint Communique is the agreement that normalized diplomatic relations between the two countries, with China asserting that Taiwan is part of the PRC and Japan stating that it “fully understands and respects” this position while establishing the foundation for bilateral ties.

While recording China’s assertion, the Joint Communique stops short of affirming PRC sovereignty over Taiwan.

Replying to Takeuchi, Takaichi said that Japan’s stance on the Taiwan question remains the same as stated in the 1972 Joint Communique between Japan and the People’s Republic of China, reiterating that the Government of Japan fully understands and respects this position.

The comment led China's foreign ministry to accuse Takaichi of "hiding and fudging its position on the Taiwan question."

Prime Minister Takaichi has refused Beijing's demands that she retract her comments, Bloomberg reported.

What's bothering Beijing?

Takaichi’s Dec. 3 statement drew strong criticism from Beijing, which demanded that she retract it and launched a series of economic, diplomatic, and military pressure measures, including advising Chinese citizens not to travel to Japan and conducting military drills in the Yellow Sea.

Takaichi's comment departed from Japan’s traditional approach of maintaining strategic ambiguity on the question of Taiwan's sovereignty.

Japan, like the US, has traditionally maintained a policy of deliberately avoiding explicit statements on whether, and under what conditions, it would intervene militarily in response to a Chinese attack on Taiwan.

China’s foreign ministry expressed dissatisfaction with Takaichi’s Dec. 3 statement that Japan’s position on Taiwan remains unchanged.

In a press conference on Dec. 1, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian (林剑) called Takaichi's stance on Taiwan evasive and urged her to retract her comments, Chinese state broadcaster CGTN reported.

Dr. Wang Hung-jen (王宏仁), a Professor in the Department of Political Science at Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University and Chairman of the Taiwan Society of Japan Studies, acknowledged the subtlety of the 1972 China–Japan Joint Communique and Takaichi's comments.

He told TCN that understanding and respecting China's position on Taiwan is not the same as recognizing it.


 


US response

According to Reuters, on Nov. 24, US President Donald Trump held separate phone calls with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. According to reports, during his call with Takaichi, Trump advised her not to provoke Beijing on the issue of Taiwan’s sovereignty. 

Subsequently, on November 26, in the Japanese Diet, Takaichi stated that Japan and Taiwan maintain non-governmental, working-level relations. Having renounced all rights and claims under the Treaty of San Francisco, we are not in a position to recognize Taiwan’s legal status,” she added, per Asahi Shimbun. 

On Nov. 28, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning (毛寧) responded at a regular press conference, saying that China has never recognized the Treaty of San Francisco, including provisions regarding the sovereignty over Taiwan or the handling of China’s territory and sovereign rights, because China was not a signatory and has never accepted the treaty.

Mao reiterated the provisions regarding Taiwan in the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Communique and added that the four political documents between China and Japan clearly define the Taiwan question and other issues and collectively constitute the political foundation of China–Japan relations.

The Treaty of San Francisco, signed in 1951 between Japan and 48 Allied nations after World War II, formally ended the state of war and defined Japan’s postwar territorial arrangements, reparations, and international status. However, the People’s Republic of China, the Soviet Union, and Taiwan did not sign the treaty.

The Four Political Documents are bilateral agreements between China and Japan since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1972 and include the 1972 Joint Communique, the 1978 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, the 1998 Joint Declaration, and the 2008 Joint Statement.

Off-ramps

Professor Wang said that he does not see Prime Minister Takaichi’s position on Taiwan has changed since she said Japan could intervene militarily if China attempts to seize Taiwan on Nov. 7.

Wang explained that Takaichi’s remarks in early November were made in response to a hypothetical scenario about how Japan would determine the use of force if a conflict occurred in the Taiwan Strait, and Beijing interpreted this as Japanese intervention. 

However, if such a conflict were to affect Japan, the country's Legislation for Peace and Security allows Japan to assess whether its national survival was at risk and whether exercising the right of self-defense was warranted, Wang added.

Japan's 2015 Legislation for Peace and Security is a package of laws that enabled Japan's Self-Defense Forces to exercise collective self-defense under certain conditions and expanded their overseas missions, thereby strengthening security cooperation with allies, particularly the US. 

Professor Huang Kwei-Bo (黃奎博) of the Department of Diplomacy at Taiwan's National Chengchi University has a different view. He told TCN that Takaichi’s Dec. 3 reference to the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Communique shows that her position has shifted from her earlier comments.

Huang said Takaichi may make adjustments to her remarks, and Beijing may reluctantly accept them. Eventually, both sides may reach a compromise, bringing the two sides into a “détente” phase, Huang added. 

Huang said that if Beijing refuses to accept such adjustments, tensions and confrontations between the two sides could increase.

The Diaoyu Islands flashpoint

On Dec. 2, the BBC reported that a maritime standoff occurred between China’s Coast Guard (CCG) and Japan's Coast Guard (JCG) near the Diaoyu Islands. The CCG said it expelled a Japanese fishing boat that had illegally entered the waters near the islands, while Japan’s Coast Guard stated that it intercepted and drove away Chinese Coast Guard vessels attempting to approach the Japanese boat.

The Diaoyu Islands (called the Senkaku Islands in Japan) are a small, uninhabited island group in the East China Sea whose sovereignty is disputed among China, Japan, and Taiwan.

Professor Wang noted that China–Japan tensions are likely to escalate further and that miscalculation or unintended military clashes cannot be ruled out. He added that China’s approach follows a familiar pattern of applying maximum pressure through military maneuvers and coast guard operations.

Professor Huang said that whether the Diaoyu Islands become a flashpoint depends on how much Beijing accepts Takaichi’s shift in attitude. If Beijing is dissatisfied but willing to tolerate it, there is no need for the islands to become a hotspot. However, if Beijing is both unwilling to accept the change, then China may indeed use the Diaoyu Islands as a pressure-testing point.



Taiwan–Japan Relations

Professor Huang said that as China continues to increase pressure on Japan, more Japanese people may naturally develop a favorable view of Taiwan. However, despite Takaichi’s recent adjustments in her statements, he does not see any signs of warming in overall Taiwan–Japan relations or shifts in the broader diplomatic framework.

Professor Wang noted that Japan may not take the initiative to change the current state of Taiwan–Japan relations, as the country’s traditionally conservative bureaucracy tends to restrain politicians’ Taiwan-related policies.

Moreover, Wang said that China–Japan relations are especially sensitive at the moment, so Tokyo is likely to act cautiously to avoid giving Beijing any additional pretext for friction.

Still, Wang added, existing Taiwan–Japan cooperation will not be affected. In fact, Taiwan has already begun taking action, such as accelerating bilateral initiatives, and these efforts could even deepen Taiwan–Japan relations. 

Comments from Taiwan's Premier

On Dec. 5, while meeting with Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chairman Shuzo Sumi in Taipei, Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said that Taiwan was deeply moved by Takaichi’s recent remarks on stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait, and thanked her for speaking out for justice and peace despite the heavy pressure she faced, per CNA.

Cho added, referencing President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) remarks, that "Taiwan will serve as a hub for research, development, and manufacturing, and by integrating Japan’s advanced materials and equipment technologies, the two countries can build a strong and effective partnership."