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Japan defense paper highlights Taiwan

Taipei Times

A page from a Japanese government defense white paper released yesterday explains enhanced defense deployment near Taiwan.
Photo: CNA

Japan’s latest defense white paper highlights Taiwan’s defense measures, as well as Tokyo’s and the international community’s concerns over stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet yesterday approved the 500-page report — the second published under Japanese Minister of Defense Nobuo Kishi that gives substantial attention to the Taiwan issue.

Shinzo Abe’s sacrifice for Taiwan

Chin Heng-wei 金恒煒

The shocking assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe by a lone gunman on July 8 became an international news event, second only to the war in Ukraine. The next day, Time magazine released an image of its next cover, featuring a black-and-white photograph of Abe.

Meanwhile, countries including Taiwan, Australia, Brazil, India and the US lowered their national flags to half-mast to mourn Abe’s passing.

Kishida to maintain ties with Taiwan

Kishida to maintain ties with Taiwan Wang Hui-Sheng 王輝生

Vice President William Lai’s (賴清德) lightning visit to Japan to offer his condolences following the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe had the Japanese media lauding the gesture by the person they called “Taiwan’s pro-Japan second-in-command.”

Given the special circumstances of the visit, Lai was accorded far better treatment than was given to former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), who made a stopover in Japan on his way to the US in 1985.

US strategic clarity required, Esper says

Taipei Times

President Tsai Ing-wen, second left, listens to former US secretary of defense Mark Esper, left, at a meeting at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: Wang Yu-ching / EPA-EFE

The US should move from strategic ambiguity to strategic clarity on cross-strait affairs and re-examine its “one China” policy, former US secretary of defense Mark Esper told President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday, adding that Taiwan must demonstrate its seriousness in defending itself by increasing its defense spending.

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