Together with the US, Japan is ready to defend Taiwan if it is attacked by China

TOKYO – Deputy Prime Minister Japan said the country needed to defend Taiwan with United States of America (US) if the island is invaded, the Kyodo news agency reported. This statement is likely to anger Beijing, which regards Taiwan as a breakaway province.

China has never ruled out the use of force to reunite Taiwan and recent military exercises conducted by China and Taiwan have crossed the strait separating the two countries, and have increased tensions.

“If a major problem occurs in Taiwan, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it could relate to a situation that threatens survival (for Japan),” Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso said at a fundraising party by fellow Liberal Democratic party lawmakers, according to Kyodo who quoted Reuters, Tuesday (6/7/2021).

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A survival-threatening situation refers to a situation in which an armed attack against a foreign country with close ties to Japan occurs, which in turn poses a clear risk of threatening Japan’s survival.

Such a situation is one of the conditions that must be met so that Japan can exercise its right to defend itself collectively, or to assist an ally that is under attack.

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