In her first parliamentary speech since being elected, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned of China’s growing “coercion” and pledged to reform defense strategies, relax arms export restrictions, and bolster key supply chains.
Just four months into office, Takaichi is currently locked in a diplomatic standoff with Beijing, as she has previously stated that Japan could resort to the use of force to defend the Taiwan Strait and national territory.
In her speech to the Diet on the 20th, Takaichi said that China’s expanding military activities, increasingly close security ties with Russia, and North Korea’s enhanced nuclear and missile capabilities all indicate that “Japan is facing its most severe and complex security environment since World War II.”
She stated that the government will this year revise Japan’s three core security documents to formulate a new defense strategy, and will accelerate the review of military export rules to expand overseas sales and strengthen the defense industry.
She said: “China has increased the use of unilateral force or coercion to alter the status quo in the East China Sea and South China Sea.”
“Precisely because China is our important neighbor and there remain various pending issues and challenges between us, we will continue communication and respond calmly and appropriately from the standpoint of national interest,” she said.
● A Country That Does Not Face Challenges Has No Future
Takaichi proposed establishing a Japanese version of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review foreign investments in sensitive areas, and said she would review regulations related to foreign land purchases.
She pledged to strengthen supply chains, reduce reliance on “certain countries,” and work with allies to ensure the supply of critical materials—such as rare earths—in the vicinity of remote Pacific islands, including Minamitorishima.
In concluding remarks, Takaichi said: “A country that does not face challenges has no future; politics that seeks only to provide protection cannot bring hope.”