Overview
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a Taiwan emergency involving military force could be recognized as a survival‑threatening situation under Japan’s security law.
- She said such a designation would permit limited exercise of collective self-defense, including Self-Defense Forces deployments and use of force even without a direct attack on Japan.
- Asked about a Chinese naval blockade scenario, she said it is assumed China would use military force to prevent the arrival of U.S. forces.
- She indicated Tokyo could authorize SDF action in response to a blockade or other coercive measures, while noting that a line of civilian vessels alone would not meet the legal threshold.
- Her stance tracks earlier statements by Taro Aso and Shinzo Abe linking Taiwan’s security to Japan, and reporting noted the position could provoke objections from Beijing.