Tokyo/Beijing: Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso made a sensational warning as he said, ‘An attack on Taiwan in the near future would pose a huge threat to Japan too as we will be its next target. In such a scenario, Japan would also step into the fight with the United States to protect Taiwan.’ A severe reaction has emerged from China, which claims its right over Taiwan.
Speaking at an event on Monday, Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso asserted that Japan’s security was linked to Taiwan’s. The minister avoided directly mentioning China during his address. ‘It would not be wrong to say that an invasion on Taiwan in the near future could be seen as an existential threat to Japan,’ Deputy Prime Minister said.
As he spoke about the issue in detail, the minister reminded that Taiwan’s territorial waters were quite close to Japan’s Okinawa Island. ‘Japan, therefore, would be the next target for China after invading Taiwan. In that case, Japan would participate with the United States in defending Taiwan,’ Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso stated.
In his speech, the minister also used a suggestive term, as he said – an existential threat to Japan. Analysts believe that Aso reminded that Japan would exercise its right to self-defence in the event of an attack on Taiwan. Simultaneously, Aso demonstrated that the Japanese government was adopting a more aggressive stance on Taiwan.
Over the past few weeks, Japan’s Suga administration has taken an overtly direct stance on Taiwan’s security. A few days ago, even Japan’s Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi had warned that Taiwan’s security was associated with Japan’s. At the same time, Defence Minister Kishi said he was keeping a close eye on the developments in China-Taiwan ties.
Then Japanese Deputy Defence Minister Yoshihide Nakayama slammed China, saying Taiwan was a democratic nation. Nakayama also said supporting the ‘One China Policy’ was a big mistake. Subsequently, China’s nervousness grew when the Japanese deputy prime minister linked Japan’s security to Taiwan.
‘The Japanese Deputy Prime Minister’s remarks will severely hit ties with China,’ Zhao Lijian, a Spokesman for Chinese Foreign Ministry warned. Zhao went on to say that no one should make the mistake of undermining Chinese sovereignty and its people’s will. Zhao warned. Criticising the Japanese Deputy Prime Minister’s remarks, the Chinese government’s mouthpiece ‘The Global Times’ advised Japan to take a lesson from history.
Meanwhile, Japan has announced to provide 1.1 million coronavirus vaccines to Taiwan. Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi made an announcement on it on Tuesday. Motegi said Japanese planes would be arriving with the vaccines in Taiwan on Thursday. Also, Japan had supplied over 1.2 million vaccines to Taiwan only a few days ago. China had strongly objected to Japan’s vaccine supply to Taiwan.
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