Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan’s strategic alliance with the U.S. would collapse if Tokyo were to turn away from a conflict in Taiwan, but distanced herself from previous comments that suggested a possible military response in such an event.
Ms. Takaichi expressed her latest views on a nationally broadcast TV programme late on Monday (January 26, 2026), where an opposition party leader criticised her for igniting tensions with China with the earlier remarks.
China takes spat with Japan over Taiwan to UN, cites right of ‘self-defence’ against armed intervention
Ties between Japan and China have sunk to the worst level in years after Ms. Takaichi said in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could bring about a Japanese military response. Beijing has responded with export curbs, flight cancellations and vitriolic commentaries, repeatedly demanding a retraction.
China claims sovereignty over the democratically-governed island of Taiwan.
