Japan Spokesman Vows Very Careful Response to Taiwan Issue

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Friday that the government will respond “very carefully” to parliamentary questions about a potential Taiwan contingency. At a press conference on the day, Kihara admitted that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent parliamentary remarks on the matter might be perceived as deviating from the government’s position. “If there is a risk of causing misunderstanding, we must respond very carefully,” the top government spokesman said, while stressing that the government has not changed its position on Taiwan. Earlier this month, Takaichi said that a Taiwan contingency could create a situation that threatens Japan’s survival, in which the country could exercise its right to collective self-defense. Kihara said that Takaichi’s remarks could be seen as “slightly different” from the government’s past explanations about the national security legislation allowing Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense. At the same time, Kihara noted that the security environment has “drastically changed” since the enactment of the legislation, suggesting that tensions over Taiwan are growing due to China’s military expansion. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]