On Tuesday, July 23, the second most senior official in the Japanese government, Chief Cabinet Secretary and Chief Spokesperson Yasunari Hayashi, made a public statement that Japan will continue to cooperate with the United States to promote peace in the Taiwan Strait, regardless of who takes office in the White House after the 2024 US presidential election.
Hayashi made these remarks during an interview with Reuters’ NEXT Newsmaker. When asked whether President Trump’s election would affect the US commitment in the Indo-Pacific region, Hayashi stated, “The peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait are not only crucial for our own security but also for the entire international community.”
“Given that both the United States and Japan believe in the importance of peacefully resolving the cross-strait issues, we will continue these diplomatic efforts. It is essential to strengthen our shared position as allies,” added Hayashi.
The Chinese Communist Party has repeatedly stated the possibility of using force to invade Taiwan. While the US and Taiwan do not have a formal defense agreement, under the Taiwan Relations Act, the US is obligated to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons, intelligence sharing, military training, and military advisors.
Last week, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump publicly suggested that Taiwan should pay for its defense. This raised concerns among Asia-Pacific allies about whether the US would continue to support Taiwan if Trump was re-elected.
However, Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, hinted last week that a Republican president might continue to pursue a robust Indo-Pacific policy, calling the Chinese Communist Party the “biggest threat” to the United States.
Last month, Reuters reported, citing five sources, that Trump’s former policy advisor had informed Japanese and South Korean officials that if Trump were to be re-elected, he would support the ongoing warming of diplomatic relations between the two countries, advancing military, economic, and diplomatic cooperation to ease global tensions.
Fred Fleitz, who served as Chief of Staff of the National Security Council during Trump’s presidency, met with Japanese officials in Japan, including the Director of the National Security Secretariat, Tsuyoshi Akiyama.
Fleitz told Reuters, “I assured them that our alliance will be strong. Trump recognizes that we must work closely with allies to defend their interests.”
He stated that he was not speaking on behalf of Trump but rather based his assessment on his experiences with Trump. Fleitz mentioned that in Trump’s next term, the US, Japan, and South Korea may continue to work together to address the threats posed by China and North Korea.