Japan’s Prime Minister Issues Caution to China
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, often referred to as the “Iron Lady,” expressed strong concerns about rising Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific during her inaugural address to the Diet following her recent election victory.
Takaichi highlighted the increasing coercion from China while announcing a significant reassessment of Japan’s security. She remarked that Japan is facing “the most severe and complex security environment since World War II” and accused Beijing of attempting to “unilaterally change the status quo through force and coercion in the East and South China Seas.”
Her remarks come after a decisive win for her party, the Liberal Democratic Party, which claimed over 316 of the 465 seats in the lower house, establishing a two-thirds supermajority for the ruling coalition. Notably, former President Donald Trump expressed his endorsement of Takaichi shortly before the election, describing her as a “strong, powerful, and wise leader.” A surge of support from young voters contributed to her success, a trend that has been termed “Sanamania” in Japanese media.
Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have soured recently. In November, Takaichi warned that an attack by China on Taiwan could represent a direct threat to Japan’s existence. The Chinese government responded sharply, with the consul general in Osaka issuing a now-deleted post that included threatening language. In contrast, U.S. Ambassador George Glass commented that the mask has “slipped again.”
During her speech, Takaichi outlined specific initiatives to enhance Japan’s defenses, including plans to revise core security policies this year and to relax current export restrictions for Japanese defense companies concerning non-lethal equipment abroad.
Moreover, she disclosed intentions to establish a National Intelligence Council under her direct oversight and a new agency to review foreign investments, inspired by the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment. Thanks to these military expansions, Japan’s defense spending is projected to reach 2% of GDP by the end of March.
Looking ahead, Takaichi is set to visit the White House on March 19th for discussions with President Trump.
She conveyed to lawmakers that “A country that doesn’t take on challenges has no future,” adding that “Politics that only seeks to protect will not give rise to hope.”
