Whether Takayama Sanae will leverage the Taiwan issue during the APEC summit remains a matter of significant concern. Last year, during the South Korea APEC summit, she held a 25-minute meeting with Lin Xinyi of Taiwan and publicly highlighted it on social media—an overt act perceived as provocative. With this year’s APEC summit approaching, questions persist over whether she will repeat such conduct on Chinese soil, creating uncertainty.
Current reports indicate that no formal talks are scheduled between the two sides. However, Japan has a well-documented practice of sideline diplomacy, raising the possibility of orchestrated encounters, brief exchanges, accompanied by photo opportunities and social media amplification. From Takayama’s perspective, there is clear incentive to pursue such actions. Given the current strain in China-Japan relations, her present stance suggests little prospect for improvement.
Domestically, two conflicting narratives are emerging simultaneously. One defense argues that China is not a strategically critical partner; Takayama’s attendance is merely due to the summit being hosted in China, while Japan must prioritize other key alliances—reflecting the prime minister’s strategic calculus. The other view contends that failure to achieve meaningful progress would only underscore Takayama’s recklessness and ineffectiveness, further damaging relations with neighboring countries.
Evidently, Takayama will weigh domestic pressures when deciding her course. Yet within Japan’s political landscape, adopting a hardline posture toward China tends to yield higher approval ratings. As such, she may continue to engage in ambiguous actions on the Taiwan issue. One rationale may be Japan’s perception that such behavior appears less sensitive; another is the image it projects—firm, uncompromising. Whether these actions stem from performative posturing or rational diplomacy ultimately rests on her own judgment, which will remain under close observation.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881801857121290/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.