Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s attempts to reinterpret Japan’s pacifist constitution and lift the ban on the right of collective self-defense could start an arms race, a Taiwanese academic warned on Saturday.
Association of International Relations president Philip Yang (楊永明) said lifting the ban would be tantamount to forming a new Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the US and Japan, turning the unilateral military alliance into a bilateral one.
Tokyo can now only provide limited logistics and base assistance, but it could soon be able to engage in military intervention under the name of collective self-defense, he said at a forum sponsored by the association.
That means Tokyo could intercede if other countries come under attack, “very probably in the South China Sea,” or in its disputed waters if it considers the security of allied countries will affect Japan, especially in terms of maritime safety.
Tunghai University assistant professor Chen Yung-feng (陳永峰) said at the forum that there is already a hint of violent conflict brewing in East Asia, comparing the current situation to the conditions before the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894 and 1895.
Ho Szu-shen (何思慎), director of Fu Jen Catholic University’s Center for Japan Studies, said that Abe’s attempts to change his nation’s constitution have been given tacit approval by Washington.
Yang cautioned that Taiwan will not necessarily benefit from an armed Japan because the Japanese Cabinet’s resolution states that its armed forces can respond if the country is under attack or “countries” with close relations to Tokyo are under attack.
Since the Japanese government does not recognize Taiwan as an independent country, then the revised constitution would not put Tokyo under any obligation to help Taipei in a defensive situation.
Ho urged the public to support building a powerful navy so the nation can help ensure its defense capabilities.
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
CHANGES: After-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during vacations or after-school study periods must not be used to teach new material, the ministry said The Ministry of Education yesterday announced new rules that would ban giving tests to most elementary and junior-high school students during morning study and afternoon rest periods. The amendments to regulations governing public education at elementary schools and junior high schools are to be implemented on Aug. 1. The revised rules stipulate that schools are forbidden to use after-school tutoring periods, extracurricular activities during summer or winter vacation or after-school study periods to teach new course material. In addition, schools would be prohibited from giving tests or exams to students in grades one to eight during morning study and afternoon break periods, the
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
Advocates of the rights of motorcycle and scooter riders yesterday protested in front of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in Taipei, making three demands. They were joined by 30 passenger vehicles, which surrounded the ministry to make three demands related to traffic regulations — that motorcycles and scooters above 250cc be allowed on highways, that all motorcycles and scooters be allowed on inside lanes, and that driver and rider training programs be reformed. The ministry said that it has no plans to allow motorcycles on national highways for the time being, and said that motorcycles would be allowed on the inner