Takaichi's Taiwan Remark Not Included in Prepared Documents

Tokyo, Dec. 12 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's parliamentary comment in question stating that a Taiwan contingency could constitute a so-called survival-threatening situation for Japan was not included in documents prepared in advance by bureaucrats for the prime minister, it has been learned.

House of Councillors lawmaker Kiyomi Tsujimoto of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan posted related documents on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday. Tsujimoto said the documents were the response to a written inquiry submitted to the government.

At a meeting of the House of Representatives Budget Committee last month, Takaichi said in answer to a question by former Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada of the CDP that if China uses force, including battleships, against Taiwan, it would undoubtedly constitute a survival-threatening situation.

According to Tsujimoto, Okada had said in a document submitted ahead of the Budget Committee meeting that the prime minister should not casually discuss the possibility of recognizing survival-threatening situations.

A document prepared by administration staff for the budget meeting stated that the prime minister would refrain from answering hypothetical questions about a possible Taiwan contingency, making no reference to any specific potential situation.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]