Japan’s draft defense white paper for this year, which was released on Thursday, underscores the importance of Taiwan’s security for Japan and the international community, while highlighting the military threat posed by China.
The wording echoes a joint statement that Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and US President Joe Biden made on April 16 underscoring “the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait” and encouraging “the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues.”
The draft for the first time mentions the importance of Taiwan’s stability for Japan and the international community.
It is to be formally approved at a Cabinet meeting in July, Kyodo News reported.
The paper highlights the provocation of Chinese coast guard vessels near the Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台), known as the Senkakus in Japan, and China’s military activities in the South China Sea, Kyodo News reported.
The military balance across the Taiwan Strait seem to be tilting toward China as the bilateral gap widens, which deserves more attention, the report cited the draft as saying.
Japan, France and the US on Tuesday started week-long joint military drills near Kyushu Island, with French armed forces joining Japanese drills on land.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said that it could not comment on the draft white paper, as it has not been reviewed by the Japanese Cabinet, adding that it is closely watching the paper’s development.
Japan’s diplomatic blue book, unveiled last month, highlighted China’s military expansionism and increased maritime activities, saying they pose serious security concerns for the region and the world.
While the blue book still defines Japan’s ties with China as among its most important, its descriptions of China are cast in a “hard tone” rarely found in previous editions, Institute for National Defense and Security Research assistant research fellow Wang Tsun-yen (王尊彥) said in a report last week.
With Washington’s continued competition with Beijing, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs might have to re-evaluate its “safe distance” from China, Wang said.
Given Japan’s diplomatic blue book has adjusted its approach regarding relations with China, it is not difficult to predict how its defense white paper would address similar issues, the report said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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