Washington DC [US] December 1 : A former US defence official from the Joe Biden administration has expressed support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi following her remarks indicating that Japan might assist in defending Taiwan, labelling Beijing's reaction as "inappropriate," reported the Taipei Times.
Ely Ratner, who was the assistant secretary of defence for Indo-Pacific security affairs from 2021 to this year, stated that Takaichi's comments about Taiwan merely echoed Japan's official stance on the matter.
On November 7, the Japanese prime minister mentioned during a parliamentary meeting that a Chinese assault on Taiwan could be considered "a situation threatening Japan's survival," potentially leading to military action, according to the Taipei Times.
Takaichi is believed to be the first Japanese leader in decades to openly propose that a crisis in the Taiwan Strait might result in Japan's military involvement.
Her statement provoked anger in China, which has implemented a range of retaliatory actions aimed at damaging Japan's economy, such as issuing warnings against travel and study in Japan and halting the resumption of Japanese seafood imports. Xue Jian, the Chinese consul general in Osaka, remarked in a now-deleted social media post that Takaichi should be "decapitated."
"They reflected Japan's policy and position on the issue," Ratner commented on Takaichi's statements. "There was nothing controversial or incorrect about what she articulated."
Additionally, Ratner, now affiliated with the Washington-based think tank Marathon Initiative, asserted that China's response was "inappropriate."
"I find Beijing's reaction completely inappropriate, especially in light of the suggestions of violence against her, and the measures they have taken have been quite extreme," Ratner stated. "I am actually quite encouraged by how the Japanese government has not retreated in the face of these threats," as quoted by the Taipei Times report.
Trump advised Takaichi that she should avoid provoking Beijing regarding the Taiwan issue, though his remarks were somewhat gentle, and he never pressured the Japanese prime minister to retract her comments.
However, Minoru Kihara, the primary spokesman for the Japanese government, denied that Trump advised Takaichi against provoking China. For his part, Ratner expressed, "I would hope that the United States would provide full support for Prime Minister Takaichi during this period," as cited in the Taipei Times report.
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