TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Japan’s Defense of Japan white paper removed wording linking Taiwan Strait stability to Japan’s security, but scholars said Tokyo has not softened its China threat assessment.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense’s report maintained its assessment that China represents Japan’s “unprecedented and greatest strategic challenge,” per CNA. It also warned that Beijing has intensified military activities around Taiwan in recent years and is attempting to normalize such activities while improving its military capabilities.
BBC Chinese reported that the latest version kept the statement that “stability in the Taiwan Strait is important to the stability of the international community” but removed the reference to Japan’s security. The change has raised questions over whether Tokyo is adjusting its Taiwan policy after Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s previous remarks on a possible “Taiwan contingency.”
Hung Yao-nan (洪耀南), an assistant professor at Tamkang University’s Department of Diplomacy and International Relations, said the wording change reflects a bureaucratic effort to reduce political friction with Beijing while maintaining Japan’s security assessment, CNA reported. He said Tokyo removed phrases that China could directly cite for criticism but kept its broader operational analysis of regional threats.
He added that last year’s reference to Taiwan Strait peace and stability being a concern for “the entire international community, including Japan” was also revised to say it concerns “not only the Indo-Pacific region, but the entire international community.” Hung said the changes show Japan has removed itself as the direct subject of Taiwan Strait discussions and indicate that Tokyo has downplayed China-related security risks.
Tsai Hsi-hsun (蔡錫勲), a professor at Tamkang University’s Department of Global Political Economy, said it would be an overreaction to conclude that Japan-Taiwan relations have shifted because of the wording changes, CNA reported. He noted that the white paper still refers to cooperation with allies and like-minded countries.
Tsai said Taiwan-Japan security cooperation has entered a new stage, with potential collaboration in areas including AI, drones, and electromagnetic warfare.
