TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Japan needs legislation to facilitate closer military exchanges with Taiwan, former Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Lieutenant General Yamashita Hirotaka said at a book event on Saturday (June 15).

Yamashita said collective security in the region is a critical issue for Japan. Still, due to its constitution, the Self-Defense Forces are limited in what they can do, CNA reported. To boost cooperation with the Taiwanese military, a law similar to the U.S. "Taiwan Relations Act" (TRA) is necessary, he said.

Once a Japanese version of the TRA sets a legal precedent, military exchanges would increase, Yamashita said, adding there are voices within Japan advocating for this.

If a Taiwan Strait conflict breaks out, Japanese nationals would likely return to Japan on their own, Yamashita said. According to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are about 20,000 Japanese people in Taiwan and 100,000 in China, he said. 

Yamashita believed that if Taiwanese sought refuge in Okinawa during a conflict, Japan should accept them on humanitarian grounds. However, he noted that Japan plans to evacuate Okinawa residents to Kyushu in an emergency. Therefore, locals may already have left once they made it to Okinawa.

Former Japanese navy Rear Admiral Yamamoto Katsuya also lamented the restrictions of the JGSDF at a forum in February. “Officially, we cannot do anything” to help defend Taiwan, Yamamoto told Taiwan News. In the event of a Taiwan contingency, Japan would only be obligated to protect its territory, he said.  

However, he noted that Taiwan and Japan are geographically close to each other. If a Chinese blockade of Taiwan extended into Japan’s maritime borders or if an attack struck Japanese fishing vessels or navy ships, Tokyo would perceive it as a direct threat to the nation, he said.

Yamamoto said defense cooperation between Japan and Taiwan “may have been neglected on both sides.” Given the rising Chinese threat, the two countries must establish a framework or channels to facilitate closer military communication and intelligence sharing, he said.

Japan has become increasingly vocal about cross-strait tensions in recent years. On multiple occasions, it has stressed the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait. Japan has also bolstered defenses on its islands closest to Taiwan as well as formed a Taiwan contingency plan with the U.S. to better prepare itself.