Japan urged to ‘signal early’ it would be part of Taiwan’s defence in a war with Beijing

Former US official tells security forum in Taipei that Japan and other allies should engage in ‘collective deterrence’ against Beijing

But Japanese academic says there is ‘no law justifying the defence of Taiwan’ and the possibility of direct involvement is ‘zero’

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Under the Japanese constitution, the Self-Defence Forces can use only the minimum necessary force to defend the territory and population of Japan. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:00pm, 11 Nov 2023

Japanese support to defend Taiwan in the event of a war with Beijing could mean a lot on the ground, but its laws make direct involvement unlikely at this stage, experts at a security forum in Taipei said.

Former US deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger, noting that “deterrence is cheaper than war”, told the forum on Wednesday that Japan and other American allies should engage in “collective deterrence” against any aggression from Beijing.

“It’s important for Japan to signal early that it would be in this fight – as I think it would inevitably be,” Pottinger said via video link during the 2023 Taipei Security Dialogue, organised by the Institute for National Defence and Security Research, a government think tank.

Matt Pottinger (centre) was deputy national security adviser in the Trump White House. Photo: EPA

Japan, a security ally of the US, maintains close ties with Taiwan – which was a Japanese colony from 1895 to 1945 – though it recognises Beijing diplomatically.

The idea that “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency” – meaning Japan would likely get involved if the island is attacked by the People’s Liberation Army – has gained more attention in recent years. But officially, Japan has not explicitly stated that it would help defend Taiwan if a conflict does break out, to avoid provoking Beijing.

Pottinger said Japan should make its stand clear as a way to deter Beijing from attacking the self-ruled island, and given that Tokyo is a security ally of Washington.

“So rather than to lose the deterrent value of Japan’s participation in the war by keeping hidden its intentions, I think Japan should do more to state its intentions now – that it would be there to counter and defeat Chinese aggression,” he said.

Japan urged to ‘signal early’ it would be part of Taiwan’s defence in a war with Beijing

Former US official tells security forum in Taipei that Japan and other allies should engage in ‘collective deterrence’ against Beijing But Japanese academic says there is ‘no law justifying the defence of Taiwan’ and the possibility of direct involvement is ‘zero’

Former US official tells security forum in Taipei that Japan and other allies should engage in ‘collective deterrence’ against Beijing

But Japanese academic says there is ‘no law justifying the defence of Taiwan’ and the possibility of direct involvement is ‘zero’