On December 16, 2025, Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi came under fire in the Diet as opposition lawmakers demanded clear answers on her government’s stance toward the Chinese mainland’s actions in the Taiwan region. 🤔
During the tense session, Hajime Hirota of the Constitutional Democratic Party challenged Takaichi over whether Taiwan falls under “other countries with close ties to Japan” in defining a “survival-threatening situation.” Takaichi replied that such scenarios are “not specified in advance” and must be judged “case by case,” stopping short of any concrete explanation.
Opposition voices grew louder when Hirota pressed Takaichi to retract her earlier remarks from a Diet meeting on November 7, where she had suggested the Chinese mainland’s use of force in the Taiwan region could threaten Japan’s survival. Despite calls from the opposition that it was her “last chance,” Takaichi stuck to the line that “there has been no change to the Japanese government’s basic position,” without clarifying what that position actually is.
The sparring led to chaotic scenes, with the session paused for several minutes and the live broadcast muted three times, according to Japanese media. The exchanges highlight growing demands from the opposition for more transparency on Japan’s security stance amid rising tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
The chaotic session underscores Japan’s delicate balancing act in regional diplomacy, with tensions across the Taiwan Strait continuing to shape security debates in Tokyo. 🔥
Reference(s):
Takaichi criticized in Diet meeting over evasiveness on China's Taiwan
cgtn.com
