Yoshiaki Nishimi 
Shigeru Iwasaki, former Chief of Staff, Joint Staff
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On March 21, a Taiwanese official revealed that Shigeru Iwasaki (72) had been appointed as a political adviser to the Executive Yuan (equivalent to the cabinet) of Taiwan. As former Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, Iwasaki was the top uniformed officer of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF). It is highly unusual for a former senior SDF officer to take a position with the Taiwanese government.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration has been intensifying military pressure on Taiwan, claiming it is pursuing unification. In response, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's administration is seeking to strengthen security cooperation with Japan.
Iwasaki was appointed as a political adviser for a one-year term. He visited Taiwan at the invitation of the Executive Yuan and met with Premier Cho Jung-tai. A Taiwanese official stated, "Mr Iwasaki has long observed Japan–Taiwan relations and the regional situation. We hope to utilize his insights and experience for policy recommendations."
Another Japanese national, Takao Nozaki, who operates a restaurant in Taiwan, was appointed as a political adviser in August 2024.
Responding to Chinese Provocations
Iwasaki is a former fighter pilot in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. He served as Commander of the Air Defense Command and then as Chief of Staff of the Air Self-Defense Force starting in December 2010. From January 2012 to October 2014, he served as Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, the highest-ranking position in the SDF.
According to statistics from Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, in 2024, an average of approximately 14 Chinese military aircraft per day operated in the skies around Taiwan. Of these, about eight per day crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or its extension — an informal ceasefire line. In response to such military pressure from China, Taiwan's Lai administration aims to deepen communication and cooperation with Japan in the field of national security.
Japan, for its part, has so far dispatched civilian officials from the Ministry of Defense (sometimes referred to as the "suit group") to the Japan–Taiwan Exchange Association's Taipei office, its de facto embassy in Taiwan. It has also sent retired SDF personnel. However, active-duty SDF personnel have not been dispatched due to concerns about provoking China.
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Author: Yoshiaki Nishimi
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