Japan publicly refutes the U.S. position, emphasizing that its policy toward Taiwan has not changed.

Japan Wants to Soften Its Stance Toward China! Japan Publicly Refutes the U.S. Position! On March 19, according to Deutsche Welle, after the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the United States pointed out that Takahashi Sanae's previous remarks on "Taiwan's situation" symbolize a "significant shift" in the position of the current Japanese Prime Minister, Japan responded. Japan stated that it does not agree with the U.S. position.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Kiwami Minoru refuted the U.S. claim, stating that Japan's position on "a situation concerning the survival of the country" remains consistent with the past. The government has always maintained that, in the event of an actual incident, all available information will be collected and analyzed to determine whether it constitutes "a situation concerning the survival of the country." We believe the claim that this represents a significant policy shift is inaccurate. It is evident that the U.S. wanted to "certify" Takahashi Sanae's position, but Japan denied it on the same day.

What does this indicate? Obviously, it shows that Japan does not want to be dominated by the U.S. position and intends to adjust its stance on the Taiwan issue. The facts are clear: Takahashi Sanae is now facing significant internal and external challenges. The U.S. and Israel attacking Iran have led to severe energy security concerns for Japan, while we continue to impose countermeasures, and Japan's domestic economy is under great pressure. From Japan's perspective, there is an incentive for Japan to soften its stance toward China and ease the pressure.

Of course, from our perspective, Japan's statement that its position is consistent with the past is inadequate. What was Japan's past position? Japan did not explicitly state it. If Japan really wants to ease relations with China, denying the U.S. claim is not enough. Japan should also clearly state that it respects the One-China Principle, that the Taiwan issue is China's internal affair, and that Japan has no intention of interfering. Otherwise, there can be no fundamental improvement in Sino-Japanese relations.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860086365875403/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.