Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi responds to questions in the House of Representatives Budget Committee on November 7. (©Sankei by Ataru Haruna)
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Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently stated in the Diet that a Taiwan emergency in the form of a military invasion of Taiwan by China could constitute an "existential threat" to Japan. Such an event, she added, could allow for the exercise of the right of collective self-defense.
The Prime Minister specifically discussed a scenario in which China uses warships to impose a naval blockade on Taiwan and then uses force against US military units that arrive to lift the blockade.
"If warships are deployed and force used, I believe there could be cases in which situations arise that threaten our existence," she said.
The Chinese foreign ministry criticized Takaichi's remarks in the Diet as interference in China's internal affairs. It said that her words challenged China's core interests and demanded their retraction.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Threats
Intending to harass Tokyo, on November 14, China's foreign ministry advised Chinese citizens to avoid travel to Japan. It said that "blatantly provocative remarks about Taiwan by Japanese leaders" have significantly worsened the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges. This, it added, posed "serious risks" to the physical safety and lives of Chinese in Japan.
China's reaction has been outrageous, including the social media post by Xue Jian, the Chinese consul general in Osaka. In effect, Xue's post called for the "beheading of the prime minister."
Japan must not give in to China's unreasonable demands. The Prime Minister's remarks are reasonable and should be highly evaluated. They had the effect of informing the Japanese people of the severity of the security situation. Moreover, they served to enhance Japan's deterrent power, which is essential to protecting the nation and its people.
Japan's Position Unchanged
Japan seeks "peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait." This is not new. Its position has long been that talks between China and Taiwan should be conducted peacefully.
The use of force against Taiwan could pose a threat to Japan's existence. It should also be emphasized that unless China launches an armed invasion of Taiwan, including a naval blockade, which would constitute an act of force, Japan would not recognize the situation as a threat to its existence. Nor would it need to deploy the Self-Defense Forces.
Deterrence is necessary to maintain peace. Its effectiveness will vary greatly depending on how any country planning an invasion views Japan's defensive will and capabilities.
Takaichi's Deterrence
The Chinese government's strong reaction is the best evidence one could ask for that the Prime Minister's remarks have had a deterrent effect. If the authorities in Beijing were to consider an armed invasion of Taiwan, they would now have to consider the presence of the Self-Defense Forces in addition to the US military. That mitigates the danger that they might actually resort to force.
In Japan, some opposition parties have criticized the Prime Minister's remarks. They are captives of a fallacy in their failure to comprehend the seriousness of the situation in Taiwan. Likewise, they seem not to realize the significance of the deterrent power of the Japan-US alliance. As a result, their position ends up supporting China's hegemonic ambitions. They must seriously reflect on this point.
Prime Minister Takaichi should not retract her remarks in response to demands from China or other countries. If she did so, the risk of war breaking out over Taiwan would only increase. It should be emphasized that such a retraction itself would likely put Japan on the road to a real crisis.
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Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
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