Japan visits Taiwan to discuss regional defence security

• Two former Japanese defence ministers met with Taiwan’s president to discuss regional security.
• Shigeru Ishiba and Yasukazu Hamada are part of a cross-party national security group.
• Japan and the US “had no choice” but to prepare for conflict in the Indo-Pacific, Ishiba said.

A delegation of Japanese Lawmakers, including two former defence ministers, met with the president of Taiwan on Thursday to discuss regional security.

The team, led by former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, claimed it sought to secure a defence deal with Taiwan and prepare for any potential confrontation in the region.

“We need to think ahead about what kind of situations could happen, what kind of laws and agreements we should prepare, and what kind of armaments we could use,” he stated. “We need to work together to reach consensus on this ahead of anything that could happen.”

Ishiba said Japan and the US “had no choice” but to prepare for conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

China’s totalitarian Communist Party thinks that democratic Taiwan, which has its own government, is part of China and should be taken over by force if necessary.

President Tsai Ing-wen greeted the Japanese MPs, who would also meet with Executive Yuan President Su Tseng-chang and Defense Ministry officials.

“Safeguarding Taiwan is not only about safeguarding sovereignty. It’s also because on the issue of strategic safety Taiwan is a very critical line of defense of the first island chain,”  Tsai added.

“We will continue to deepen our cooperation with Japan and other democratic partners to uphold the Indo-Pacific area’s peace and stability.”

Ishiba was accompanied by Yasukazu Hamada, Akihisa Nakashima, and Takayuki Shimizu, all members of a cross-party national security group.

Ishiba said Japan must encourage regional security, economic growth, and the rule of law.

“It cannot just be at the level of thought, just words spoken out of one’s mouth. Japan must take on concrete responsibilities in the Asia region,” he said.

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