"China Likely to Receive Military Support from Japan in Case of Taiwan Invasion"

Former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor's Statement... "Taiwan's Defense Is Japan's Defense"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Amid rising tensions between Taiwan and China, a former senior U.S. official has suggested that Japan is likely to provide military support if China invades Taiwan.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) in Hong Kong on the 3rd, Matthew Pottinger, who served as Deputy National Security Advisor at the White House during the Trump administration, made these remarks at a seminar on U.S.-Japan relations hosted by the Nixon Foundation the previous day.

He was known as a hardliner on China during the Trump administration.

Pottinger stated that Japan was the first to propose the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue led by the U.S.), and predicted that if China uses force to pursue unification with Taiwan, Japan would militarily defend Taiwan.

He said, "The Quad initiative emerged during former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s first term in 2006-2007," adding, "We adopted and coordinated the concept of a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific' proposed by our closest ally, Japan."

He continued, "There is a saying in the Japanese military: 'The defense of Taiwan is the defense of Japan,'" and expressed his view that "Japan will act accordingly."

The Quad was elevated to a summit-level forum after the inauguration of the Joe Biden administration in January this year.

Japan has recently publicly addressed the Taiwan issue, confronting China.

In April, Japan included the "importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait" in the joint statement of the U.S.-Japan summit, and last month, during talks with European Union (EU) leaders, Japan explicitly recommended the peaceful resolution of cross-strait (China and Taiwan) issues.

In response, China reacted with warnings at the level of willingness to go to war.

On the 28th of last month, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a regular briefing, "Taiwan is Chinese territory, and China will not tolerate any country’s interference in the Taiwan issue," emphasizing, "China must be unified and inevitably will be unified."

He added, "Regarding the situation in the Taiwan Strait, unification of the Taiwan Strait is the best solution to maintain regional and global peace and stability."

However, there are also views that without revising Japan’s pacifist constitution, it is difficult for the Japan Self-Defense Forces, which are equivalent to the military, to be deployed overseas in reality. Article 9 of the current Japanese constitution denies the possession of a military and the right to engage in war.

Since the Abe administration, there have been efforts mainly by the Liberal Democratic Party to amend this provision, but these efforts have been blocked by strong opposition from the public and opposition parties. Especially as the current Yoshihide Suga administration’s approval rating hit a historic low of 40% as of last month, and the COVID-19 pandemic continues unabated, there is virtually no momentum to push forward constitutional revision.