Zi Yang
Tensions between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Japan have risen dramatically after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on how Japan might react to an attack on Taiwan. Responding to a question at a budget committee meeting on November 7, Takaichi said that a Taiwan contingency involving the use of force could constitute an “existential risk” for Japan (Nikkei, November 7). [1][1]In the original Japanese, Takaichi said, ” This comment was met with threats from online PRC commentators. Most notably, the PRC’s consul general in Osaka, Xue Jian , inflamed the situation by posting on the social media platform X to say that “the dirty neck that sticks itself in must be cut off” (UDN, November 10). [2][2]In the original Japanese, Xue Jian wrote,
The PRC government subsequently discouraged its citizens from visiting Japan and deployed People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ships to waters south of Japan’s Kyushu Island (South China Morning Post [SCMP], November 14). The PLA’s theater commands have also mobilized, producing bellicose videos with the goal of intimidation (Sina, November 19).
The PRC’s aggressive rhetoric raises questions about the readiness of the PLA Eastern Theater Command (TC), given its strategic focus on both Japan and Taiwan. Recent purges have impacted its leadership, however, to the detriment of command stability. This suggests military escalation is unlikely in the near future.
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