Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has stirred a diplomatic storm that may reshape the strategic balance in East Asia. Her assertion that Japan could deploy its Self-Defence Forces if China attacked Taiwan is more than a passing remark. It marks a profound shift in Tokyo’s security posture, one that edges Japan closer to the frontline of a potential regional confrontation. For decades, Japan’s position on Taiwan was anchored in deliberate ambiguity. It acknowledged Beijing’s “One China” claim while maintaining quiet but steady ties with Taipei. The logic was simple: avoid confrontation, preserve trade, and rely on the United States’ deterrence umbrella.

Ms Takaichi’s statement, however, signals that this cautious equilibrium may be giving way to a new realism ~ one shaped by the erosion of trust in China’s intentions and a renewed belief in Japan’s own strategic agency. China’s response has been predictably fierce. Any suggestion that foreign........

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