JAPAN’S STRATEGIC VIEWS ON TAIWAN STRAIT UNDER FORMER PRIME MINISTER FUMIO KISHIDA AND IMPLICATIONS UNDER ISHIBA SHIGERU’S LEADERSHIP

Abstract

Under Kishida’s leadership, Japan and Taiwan relations have strengthened and Taiwan is considered as an extremely important partner of Japan. Japan shares the basic value of democracy and maintains close economic and people-to-people exchanges with Taiwan. Geopolitically, both Taiwan and Japan share growing anxiety about the expansion of China and the regional balance of power shifting in favor of Beijing. Taiwan and Japan are both island countries, maritime security cooperation will be promoted with their allies and like-minded partners to build an international community based on universal values, including freedom of navigation and overflight, ensuring safety and the rule of law, and promoting the maintenance and development of maritime order. In addition, Taiwan has been the primary benefactor of the global drive to diversify supply chains. An unanticipated economic spur and attempts to expand semiconductor manufacturing have been brought on by a sharp increase in demand for semiconductors which Taiwan is the most valuable export. In this essay, the author will estimate Japan’s strategy toward the Taiwan Strait under Kishida’s leadership and forecast this strategy under new current administration in the conclusion. Besides, the Taiwan Strait issue has become one of the important topics of concern to the United States and Japan and it is also a priority consideration in the defense strategy of both the U.S and Japan.