Photo credit: Aljazeera
Japan and China have escalated their war of words at the United Nations after unprecedented remarks from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Tokyo’s role in a potential Taiwan conflict.
Al Jazeera reports that Japan’s ambassador to the UN wrote to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday, disputing allegations from Beijing that Takaichi had violated “the basic norms governing international relations” while speaking to the Japanese Diet last month.
The letter marks the second time Japan has written to Guterres on the issue in as many months. Both times were in response to separate letters from China to the UN about Takaichi.
The dispute began in November when Takaichi told Japanese legislators that should China ever use force against Taiwan, the move would constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, according to Japanese media.
Taiwan and Japan do not have diplomatic relations, but they are close neighbours and unofficial allies.
Still, experts say that Takaichi’s comments marked a break in tradition for Tokyo, which is typically more circumspect on Taiwan’s issues.
Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy, is claimed by Beijing, which has pledged to one day annex it by peace or by force amid an ongoing military modernizarion campaign. Beijing considers the issue surrounding Taiwan to fall within its internal affairs.
