Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – According to Japan's *Mainichi Shimbun*, former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, speaking in Tokyo on the 26th, again criticized current Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks regarding Taiwan, emphasizing the importance of building stable Japan-China relations.
Ishiba stated that since the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China in 1972, successive Japanese governments have understood and respected China's position that Taiwan is part of China. He said, "This is something that cannot be changed, and we have always handled it very carefully."
Ishiba reiterated the importance of maintaining smooth diplomatic relations between Japan and China in his speech.
He also said that Japan currently relies heavily on imports of food, rare earth elements, and pharmaceuticals from China.
On the 7th of this month, Takaichi stated during a debate in the Japanese Diet that a "contingency in Taiwan" could constitute an "existential crisis" for which Japan could exercise its right of collective self-defense. These remarks immediately drew strong criticism from various sectors of Japanese society. On the 23rd, Ishiba criticized Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan on a television program, stating that they had led to a deterioration in Japan-China relations. He said, "Successive Japanese governments have always been 'cautious, cautious, and even more cautious' in handling Japan-China relations." The current government should fully recognize Japan's long-standing basic stance and remain prudent in its future policy implementation.
