Japan's Taiwan Remarks Gesture Rebuffed by China

The Chosun Ilbo · Lee Beul-chan, Ryu Jung ·

Japans Taiwan Remarks Gesture Rebuffed by China Japan reaffirms 1972 Taiwan stance; China demands retraction ahead of APEC

One year has passed since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made remarks about "intervening in the event of a Taiwan contingency," yet Sino-Japanese relations remain deadlocked. On the 6th, one day before the first anniversary of the remarks, the Japanese government reaffirmed that "Japan’s position on Taiwan remains consistent with the 1972 China-Japan Joint Communiqué" and sent a conciliatory message to Beijing. Instead of directly retracting Takaichi’s remarks, Japan sought to resolve the conflict by reaffirming its existing stance of understanding and respecting Beijing’s position that Taiwan is part of Chinese territory. However, China dismissed this, stating, "Reaffirming the joint communiqué alone is insufficient," and demanded that Japan correct Takaichi’s remarks themselves. The possibility of a Sino-Japanese summit during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen on November 18–19 also remains uncertain.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, Japan’s government spokesperson, reiterated at a regular press conference on the same day that "the Japanese government’s position on Taiwan is as stated in the 1972 China-Japan Joint Communiqué." Takaichi, speaking at the Prime Minister’s Office, said, "China is an important neighboring country, and while there are various challenges, we have a long-standing relationship. We will comprehensively advance a strategic mutually beneficial relationship, communicate on common issues, and build a constructive and stable relationship."

China effectively rejected Japan’s conciliatory gesture. Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a regular briefing the same day, "The responsibility for the serious difficulties in Sino-Japanese relations lies entirely with Japan. A year ago, a Japanese leader publicly sent signals of military intervention through incorrect remarks on the Taiwan issue, challenging China’s national sovereignty and undermining the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations."

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