Japan’s Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae continues to make headlines in Taiwan for being an ally and a protege of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo — but also for her skillful and measured diplomacy.  

Takaichi’s first regional security challenge after being elected in October was just two weeks later when she was forced to respond to China’s harassment campaign. After merely reiterating long-standing Japanese foreign and national security policy in parliament, China started imposing economic sanctions,  while holding its own tourists hostage and cancelling most China-based airline flights to Japan.

During Takaichi’s state visit to Washington in late March, she approached US President Donald Trump with three main objectives. 

First, she gave him a passionate hug and words of assurance that world peace was in his power. Her words came after several allies, from Canada to France, belittled Trump for taking unilateral military action in Venezuela and Iran. She intended to charm him and demonstrate to the world, especially Beijing, that the Japan-US alliance is stronger than ever.

Second, despite quoting Japan’s constitutional limits on being able to send military personnel to aid the US in the conflict in Iran, she asked her foreign minister to help break the Strait of Hormuz blockade. This is a testament to Takaichi’s ability to identify what matters most to Trump — leveraging of the US economy.  

Energy counts

Broadly referred to by Japanese analysts and media as her “omiyage” (souvenir) to Trump, she also offered US$73 billion (NT$2.3 trillion) in new investment projects. Half of that was in energy and focused on natural gas. 

This addresses the increasing energy demands both Japan and the US face from the AI and tech sector. She also committed to jointly develop secure and sovereign government data platforms with the US. 

This latter technology, if proven successful, could also involve Taiwan, which is widely perceived as “ground zero” for Chinese misinformation and spy activities. Both leaders also announced missile co-production. Such capabilities could prove crucial in any Taiwan contingency.

Apart from creating energy investments, secure data platform development, and missile co-production, her state visit was largely seen in Japan as a success for securing assurances critical to Japanese security. As one of Japan’s closest neighbors, this was also welcomed as a positive for Taiwan. 

Japan and Taiwan both face heightened security risks in a prolonged US military campaign in the Middle East. With several key naval assets leaving US bases in Japan and South Korea for Iran, the region fears that China could perceive this as a window of opportunity to launch an armed invasion of Taiwan. 

Joint statement

At the Japan-US summit on March 19, Takaichi secured a joint statement with Trump on the importance of peace and security in the Taiwan Strait. This assurance is paramount to Japan’s security in deterring potential military adventurism by Beijing. 

Trump did not just stop there with his support for Takaichi. He publicly promised to praise her during his upcoming meeting with Xi. This comes as a signal of defiance amid reports that Xi had asked Trump to have Takaichi walk back her comments on security.  

Takaichi’s efforts did not go unnoticed in Taiwan. The Presidential Office and foreign ministry thanked Takaichi and Trump for their commitment to peace in the Taiwan Strait. It was noteworthy how the Presidential Office stressed the “Taiwan government will continue to uphold the principle that only strength can achieve peace.” 

This message was in sync with the general defense posture of the Trump administration and Takaichi’s LDP. This includes enhancing defense capabilities, with the shared objective of deterring Chinese military adventurism.

Riley Walters, Japan senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said a key takeaway of the Takaichi-Trump summit is how Japanese and US leadership has once again prioritized peace and stability in the strait as an “indispensable element of regional security.” This not only directly addresses the issue of US skepticism but also further highlights Japan’s own interest in becoming a potential strategic partner for Taiwan.

A trip by Japan’s defense minister to the US saw the two countries pledge to expand their security alliance and hold more joint drills to enhance deterrence in the First Island Chain, which Taiwan is a part of. 

Regional deterrence

Japan is also joining the Philippines in May’s annual joint Balikatan exercises with the US. It will be the largest iteration to date, with Japan contributing a larger-than-expected force, including ships, aircraft, defense technology and anti-ship defense systems. 

This year’s exercises will start from April 20 and continue through late May, mostly in the waters surrounding the Luzon Strait, which separates Taiwan and the Philippines. This location is crucial to providing support for defending Taiwan against any Chinese invasion.

Takaichi is also working to ensure that Japan can legally deploy its defense forces to join US military efforts when it comes to collective defense. She announced a one-year timeline for amending Japan’s pacifist constitution at the annual LDP convention. 

This will be key if Japan is to extend defense support to Taiwan should China ever pull the trigger. Should such amendments pass, it will also serve as a deterrent for Xi Jinping to keep in mind should he ever consider invading Taiwan.

It is evident that Takaichi maintains Taiwan as one of her key priorities when it comes to Japanese national security. We have seen her refusal to back down, even doubling down on Taiwan policy in the face of successive waves of Chinese intimidation and coercion. 

Taiwan can expect support to continue flowing from Japan’s current administration. Taiwan should continue to capitalize on this support by identifying as many channels as possible in collectively working with Japan to boost regional deterrence.

Rath Wang is a political commentator based in Taipei focusing on Taiwan’s politics, media, civil society, and key issues influencing Taiwan’s future. He is a media producer and host of current affairs talk shows and podcasts and has worked on political campaigns and lived in Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, and the US.