Over the past week, China and Japan have been locked in an escalating war of words. It all started when Japan's new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, suggested that if China attacked Taiwan then Japan could respond with its own self-defense force.
Since then, foreign ministries on both sides have lodged serious protests with the other, and a Chinese diplomat made what some interpreted as a threat to behead Takaichi. The spat touches on the historical animosity between China and Japan, as well as longstanding 'strategic ambiguity' on the sovereignty of Taiwan.
What happened? A timeline
The current tensions were sparked at a parliamentary meeting in Japan last Friday, when an opposition lawmaker asked Takaichi what circumstances surrounding Taiwan would count as a survival-threatening situation for Japan. 'If there are battleships and the use of force, no matter how you think about it, it could constitute a survival-threatening situation,' Takaichi responded.
A 'survival-threatening situation' is a legal term under Japan's 2015 security law, referring to when an armed attack on its allies poses an existential threat to Japan. In such a situation, Japan's self-defense forces can be activated to respond to the threat. Takaichi's remarks drew ire from Beijing, with China's foreign ministry describing them as 'egregious'.
Tokyo has lodged protests with China over Xue's remarks, while Beijing has lodged its own with Japan over Takaichi's. Takaichi declined to retract her remarks, which she defended as 'consistent with the government's traditional position'.
A long history of animosity
There is a longstanding animosity between the two countries, which can be traced back to a series of armed conflicts in the 1800s and Japan's brutal military campaign in China during World War Two. Historical grievances have remained sore spots in bilateral relations ever since.
Takaichi is also famously hawkish on China and a longtime supporter of Taiwan. She had previously claimed that a blockade of the island could threaten Japan, and that Japan could mobilize its troops to stop a Chinese invasion. Earlier this month, Beijing accused her of violating the one-China principle after she posted photos of herself meeting a senior Taiwanese official.
Why Takaichi's recent comments caused such a stir
The Japanese prime minister's recent comments mark a departure from the equivocal position that the country has traditionally adopted on the status of Taiwan. This is in line with the policy of 'strategic ambiguity' that the US has long maintained. For decades, this ambiguity has kept China guessing—a form of deterrence—while leaving room for economic ties to flourish.
China reacted strongly, labeling Takaichi's comments as a gross interference in China's internal affairs. The tensions indicate that Japan's defense strategy may be evolving, potentially complicating the already fragile relationship between Tokyo and Beijing.
