INTERVIEW: CDP’s Okada Says PM’s Taiwan Remark Could Be Path Leading to War

Tokyo, Nov. 30 (Jiji Press)–Katsuya Okada of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan said in a recent interview with Jiji Press that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s parliamentary remark on a possible Taiwan contingency “could become a path leading to war.” Something like that “should not be said lightly,” said Okada, who has served as foreign minister in an administration led by the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan, a predecessor of the CDP. During a parliamentary meeting on Nov. 7, Takaichi said that a potential Taiwan contingency may fall under a so-called survival-threatening situation for Japan, in which the country can exercise its right to collective self-defense. The prime minister made the remark during a question-and-answer session with Okada. “I thought it was a very problematic statement” that went beyond the Japanese government’s conventional position on the matter, Okada said in the interview conducted on Friday. He emphasized, “Discussions regarding a survival-threatening situation must be conducted with a clear understanding that it refers to Japan entering a war, where Self-Defense Forces personnel and the livelihoods of Japanese citizens would suffer severe harm.” Regarding criticism directed at Okada on social media for posing the question that led Takaichi to make the remark on Taiwan, which has triggered a strong backlash from China, the former foreign minister said, “I think some people are intentionally making noise.” Meanwhile, Okada expressed concern over media opinion poll results indicating that many in Japan see no problem with the Taiwan remark, saying, “This is a critical situation.” “It should be practically possible for the prime minister to withdraw her remark,” Okada said. “She can say that the determination of a survival-threatening situation shall be made comprehensively based on legal definitions and the new three requirements for the use of force and that her remark lacked consideration.” On the deteriorating Japan-China relations, he emphasized, “We must calm down and settle the situation.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]