Japan ‘would help Taiwan if China attacks’, country's defence minister warns as tensions continue to build between Beijing and the island nation it claims as its own
- Japan has historically refused to clarify how it would respond to a Chinese attack
- Ukraine war sparked fears for Tokyo about possibility of a China-Taiwan conflict
A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would likely prompt Japan to come to the island nation’s aid, the country’s defence minister has said.
Tensions have continued to build between China and the democratic island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own, and Japan has historically refused to clarify how it would respond if China were to attack.
But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked fresh fears for Tokyo about the possibility of a China-Taiwan conflict breaking out in such close proximity.
Ino Toshiro, Japan’s State Minister of Defense, said: ‘If people all over the world have the will to support Taiwan, similar to the way they supported Ukraine when we witnessed Russia’s aggression, then, yes, it would be very possible that we will provide some kind of support to Taiwan.’
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Japan's State Minister of Defence Toshiro pictured in May ahead of the G7 Leaders' Summit in May
He added: ‘I am not sure at this juncture whether it is going to be defence equipment support or whether it is going to be logistics support.’
On top of the looming threat of an invasion of Taiwan, Japan has also been alarmed by China’s aggressive rearmament under Xi Jinping.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Ino said: ‘We consider it a threat that China is increasing its military budget and it is sharply increasing its assertiveness in the maritime zones. So far, we haven’t seen this level of threat before.’
