Editorial | Takaichi must soon make amends if China ties are to be repaired

The leaders of China and Japan agreed last month to pursue “constructive” and “stable” relations. Little more than two weeks later, tensions have escalated sharply in a war of words precipitated by new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. She needs to make amends if the two sides are to mend ties any time soon.

Beijing summoned the Japanese ambassador to lodge a formal protest over a provocative remark by Takaichi about the Taiwan issue – an untouchable red line for China – suggesting Japan could deploy military forces in the event of a cross-strait conflict. Beijing’s angry reaction includes travel advice to its citizens to avoid Japan. Hong Kong urged residents to exercise caution.

The election of a China hardliner to leadership of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and as prime minister raised concerns for the bilateral relationship. Nonetheless, President Xi Jinping agreed to meet Takaichi on the sidelines of last month’s Apec leaders meeting in South Korea, where they agreed to pursue stable ties.

Days later, however, she told the Japanese parliament that the use of military force in the Taiwan Strait could be seen as a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan. Under the country’s 2015 security law, such a declaration could allow Tokyo to deploy its self-defence forces, even though not under attack.

This was an extraordinary statement – a grievous provocation that went further than anything said by any previous Japanese prime minister. The timing was affronting, in the 80th anniversary year of the defeat of Japan in the second world war. Worse, it came as China and the United States are trying to cool tensions over the Taiwan Strait. US President Donald Trump did not even raise the subject in his recent summit with Xi in South Korea.

Amid the diplomatic row, Washington now appears to be trying to strike a delicate balance on the issue.