The holding of a Japan-US leaders’ meeting ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China is positive news for Taiwan, former Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association representative Hiroyasu Izumi said yesterday.
After the Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Japan’s House of Representatives election, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to visit the US next month, where she is to meet with Trump ahead of the US president’s planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2 for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).
Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the meeting, Japanese sources said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Izumi in an interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) said that he expected the Takaichi administration to actively pursue economic and military security policies while having a clear understanding of Taiwan’s role in regional security.
Holding the Japan-US leaders’ meeting is a positive development for Taiwan, Izumi said.
Takaichi’s Cabinet includes several pro-Taiwan lawmakers, which should ensure that Japan-Taiwan relations remain stable, he said, adding that with no major political disputes between the two nations, this is an ideal moment to focus on resolving key issues.
For example, strengthening communication mechanisms between defense authorities, and promoting Taiwan’s inclusion in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Izumi said.
Taiwan’s own efforts are crucial to the CPTPP issue, he said, adding that it is not only important to express a desire to join, but also to demonstrate tangible progress and explain Taiwan’s preparations to the international community.
Takaichi in November last year said that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could mean a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, implying that her nation could deploy its military with other nations in that scenario, he said.
Izumi said that Takaichi’s remarks were meant to highlight that, in the event of a crisis in the Taiwan Strait or an attack on US forces, Japan would invoke the Japan-US Security Treaty and classify the situation as a “threat to Japan’s survival,” thereby exercising collective self-defense.
This is not a new perspective and China is well aware of it, he said.
Japan and the US are committed to maintaining peace and security in the Taiwan Strait, he added.
Following the war in Ukraine, Europe has grown more wary of powerful nations, leading to a noticeable shift in its attitude toward Taiwan, Izumi said.
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry has also gained increased attention due to supply chain and economic security concerns, he said, adding that the more crucial factor remains Taiwan’s geopolitical strategic value.
Taiwan sits at the strategic crossroads of the East China Sea, South China Sea and western Pacific, he added.
If Taiwan were to fall under China’s control, Chinese nuclear submarines would have easier access to the Pacific, allowing them to operate covertly and pose a direct threat to the US, Izumi said, adding that the US could not allow this to happen.
“I believe that if something happens to Taiwan, the US would definitely come to Taiwan’s aid,” he said.
However, he said that US military assistance would take time and during that period Taiwan must be able to defend itself.
A nation that cannot protect itself would not receive help from others, he added.
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