A visiting former Japanese justice minister on Wednesday said it is important for closer bilateral collaboration to enhance joint deterrence capabilities to prevent a “Taiwan contingency” from happening.
House of Representatives member Keisuke Suzuki, who served as justice minister in the former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s Cabinet, from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) made the comments during a press event in Taipei to conclude his three-day visit to the country.
During the visit from Monday through Wednesday, Suzuki said in the press event, he and his delegation met with President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安).
“We exchanged views concerning ways to enhance Japan-Taiwan relations, and touched on issues relating to the latest regional situations [during these meetings]” Suzuki said via an interpreter.
“We have concluded that to make sure a ‘Taiwan contingency’ deos not happen, we need to beef up our deterrence capabilities,” he said, without elaborating.
Asked to comment if he and his Taiwanese counterparts discussed ways to enhance bilateral defense cooperation during their meetings in Taipei, Suzuki did not give a direct answer.
He refused to disclose details of his talks with Taiwanese officials, adding only that both sides agreed to work closely to uphold regional peace and stability.
Suzuki was joined by his fellow House of Representatives members from the LDP, including Akihisa Nagashima, a former special adviser to Ishiba, and Junichi Kanda, an ex-Japanese vice minister of justice, during the trip.
Their visit came as Tokyo and Beijing are having tense relations over recent remarks by Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, about Japan’s potential response to a “Taiwan contingency.”
Takaichi said recently that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would count as a situation threatening Japan’s survival and thus could warrant a military response from Tokyo, which drew an angry reaction from Beijing.
China’s actions against Japan have included travel and study advisories, a ban on Japanese marine products, and multiple rounds of military drills.
During Wednesday’s press event, Nagashima stated that the Taipei trip was planned months in advance and has no relation to the ongoing Japan-China skirmish.
Lawmakers’ traveling overseas to conduct exchanges will continue despite the lack of official ties between Tokyo and Taipei, he said.