TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s thumping election win has blunted domestic opposition to her hawkish security agenda, encouraging plans to press ahead with a defense expansion that China has condemned as a return to militarism. As the scale of her government’s historic victory became clear on Sunday — capturing 352 of the 465 seats in the lower house — Takaichi said she would “work flat out to deliver” an agenda that includes building a military strong enough to deter Chinese threats to its islands, including those close to Taiwan.
In November, Takaichi touched off a diplomatic storm with Beijing by suggesting Japan could respond militarily to any Chinese attack on the democratically governed island if it also threatened Japanese territory.
Standing up to China
“I expect to see Japan very forward-leaning on defense policy, such as her statements on a Taiwan contingency,” said Kevin Maher, a former US diplomat now with NMV Consulting in Washington. “One impact could be that President Xi Jinping comes to understand her strong stance,” he added.
China responded furiously to Takaichi’s Taiwan comment, promising to “resolutely prevent the resurgence of Japanese militarism” if Tokyo continued on its “wrong path.” Beijing also imposed a series of economic countermeasures including a boycott on travel to Japan and export restrictions on items such as rare earths it says Tokyo could use in military equipment.
