Japan on Wednesday (Dec 31) said that China’s latest round of military exercises around Taiwan had sharply increased tensions across the Taiwan Strait, underscoring Tokyo’s growing concern over Beijing’s expanding military pressure on the self-governed island.
“The recent military exercises conducted by the Chinese military around Taiwan constitute actions that increase tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and the Government of Japan has conveyed its concerns to the Chinese side,” Foreign Ministry press secretary Toshihiro Kitamura said in a statement.
Kitamura reiterated Japan’s long-standing position that the Taiwan issue should be resolved peacefully. “It has been the consistent position of the Government of Japan that it expects that the issue surrounding Taiwan will be resolved peacefully through dialogue,” he said. He added that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait were vital not only for the region but for the international community as a whole.
“Peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are important for the international community as a whole. We will continue to monitor related developments with strong interest,” Kitamura said.
China’s drills this week involved dozens of fighter aircraft and several navy vessels operating around Taiwan, according to regional security officials and Taiwanese authorities. The exercises reportedly included live-fire drills and complex maneuvers simulating a blockade of Taiwan’s key ports, as well as coordinated assaults on maritime targets. Analysts say the scale and nature of the drills suggest a rehearsal for coercive operations designed to isolate the island in the event of a crisis.
Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has refused to rule out the use of force to bring the democratically governed island under its control. Chinese officials have repeatedly described military exercises around Taiwan as “necessary and legitimate” responses to what they call separatist activities in Taipei and growing foreign interference, particularly by the United States and its allies.
Japan’s public criticism reflects heightened anxiety in Tokyo about the security implications of a Taiwan conflict. Japan lies just a few hundred kilometers from Taiwan, and several Japanese islands, including Yonaguni, are located close to the Taiwan Strait. Any military confrontation in the area would almost certainly affect Japan’s security, trade routes, and economic stability.
Tensions between Japan and China have worsened in recent weeks following remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November suggesting that Tokyo could intervene militarily if China were to attack Taiwan. While Japanese officials later stressed that Japan remains committed to its pacifist constitution and defensive posture, the comments drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing, which accused Tokyo of abandoning its postwar restraint.
China’s foreign ministry has repeatedly warned Japan against “crossing red lines” on the Taiwan issue, saying the matter is an internal Chinese affair. Beijing has also criticized Japan’s closer security cooperation with the United States and other regional partners, arguing that such moves destabilize the Asia-Pacific.
For Japan, however, the Taiwan Strait has become a central strategic concern. Tokyo has increasingly aligned itself with like-minded partners, including the United States, Australia, and European countries, in calling for the maintenance of peace and stability in the region. Japanese defense planners have also accelerated efforts to strengthen the country’s southwestern defenses, citing the growing presence of Chinese military forces near Taiwan and the East China Sea.
Regional observers say Japan’s latest statement is likely to further strain already fragile ties with China but reflects Tokyo’s determination to speak out as Beijing’s military activities intensify. With China continuing to demonstrate its ability to project power around Taiwan, and with diplomatic relations in East Asia under pressure, the risk of miscalculation in the Taiwan Strait remains a major concern for governments across the region.
