Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments about the Taiwan Strait during a November 7, 2025 budget committee debate on collective self-defense sparked a sharp Chinese response, including accusations of "neo-militarism," expanded naval operations by Chinese aircraft carriers, coast guard deployments east of Taiwan, and economic restrictions on Japanese companies including rare earth export limits.
Takaichi has repeatedly asserted that her November statements did not signal a change in Japan's Taiwan policy. At a November 11 budget committee session, she said "peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are important not only for Japanese security but also for the stability of the international community as a whole," adding that Japan expects issues surrounding Taiwan will be resolved through peaceful dialogue. At a December 3 plenary session, she reaffirmed that the government's basic Taiwan position "as stated in the 1972 Japan-China Joint Communiqué" remained unchanged.
China has demanded a retraction of the November 7 remarks, which Takaichi has refused. Dialogue between the two countries has remained limited, though a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson's remarks in late June appeared to open space for private business and parliamentary exchanges. At a November 26 joint committee meeting, Takaichi said the two sides had agreed to build "constructive and stable" relations and would resolve concerns through "communication between the leaders."
Recent developments suggest a subtle shift in the Japanese approach. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi apparently exchanged a greeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on July 23 at ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers' meetings, though China denied the encounter. On July 27, when asked about the November 2026 APEC summit scheduled to be hosted by President Xi Jinping in China, Takaichi said simply: "I am looking forward to it."
Takaichi has characterized Japan as "open to different forms of dialogue with China" while emphasizing cooperation with the United States and other like-minded countries. Whether these recent signals represent a genuine shift toward normalized relations remains uncertain.
