Japan fires back at ‘unsubstantiated’ Chinese letter to UN
Japan has strongly rejected a Chinese letter sent to the United Nations accusing Tokyo of threatening military intervention over Taiwan, calling the allegations “inconsistent with the facts and unsubstantiated.” Japan’s U.N. Ambassador Kazuyuki Yamazaki responded to China’s letter by emphasizing Japan’s core stance of “passive defense” and stating that China’s claim Japan would invoke self-defense rights without an armed attack is incorrect.
The dispute centers around remarks made by Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who said a Chinese assault on Taiwan could provoke a Japanese military response. China accused her of breaching international law, but Japan maintains her comments did not change its longstanding strategic ambiguity and insists on dialogue to prevent further escalation. The tensions reflect worsening bilateral relations, including canceled cultural events and trade impacts between the countries.
