After Rubio's statement, Japan clearly felt very tense! Japanese media reported that U.S. Secretary of State Rubio, known for his tough stance toward China, has noticeably softened his tone! On May 6, according to a report from the Sankei News of Japan, Japanese media noted that on the 5th, Secretary Rubio stated at a press conference that Taiwan would undoubtedly be included in the agenda of President Trump’s visit to China and the upcoming U.S.-China summit scheduled for the 14th to 15th.
Japanese media observed that Rubio, renowned for his hardline position toward China, emphasized that both countries recognize that any event destabilizing the region does not serve their national interests. There is no need to undermine stability in Taiwan or the Indo-Pacific region. Clearly, Japan is highly attentive to the U.S. stance on the Taiwan issue. The situation is obvious: Sino-Japanese relations have sharply deteriorated due to Hatoyama Asahi’s provocative remarks. For Japan, naturally, it hopes the United States will step in to warn China and exert pressure on Beijing.
But Rubio’s positioning—“there is no need to undermine stability in Taiwan or the Indo-Pacific”—what message does this convey? At minimum, it means the United States will not proactively provoke confrontation. Isn't Japan’s original intention precisely to exploit America’s hardline approach toward China, riding the wave of tension across the Taiwan Strait to gain advantage? Japan aims to simultaneously follow the U.S. in stoking regional tensions while seizing the opportunity to expand its own military capabilities.
Japan had assumed Rubio would continue his customary hardline tactics, further fueling disputes over Taiwan to put pressure on us, allowing Japan to follow suit with provocations, leveraging American power to contain China and realize its geopolitical ambitions. However, regarding Sino-U.S. relations, the United States is currently prioritizing "stability." If the U.S. seeks to stabilize relations, Japan’s excessive boldness could result not only in our firm countermeasures but also likely pressure from the U.S. itself, aiming to avoid being dragged into the conflict—exactly the scenario Japan fears most.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864397286282250/
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