Former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso arrives in Taiwan to give keynote speech at regional security forum
- The vice-president of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is known for anti-Beijing comments and declaring Taiwan contingency is a contingency for Japan
- Aso is expected to meet a number of senior political figures, including Tsai Ing-wen
As the vice-president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the long-time vocal supporter of Taiwan is the most senior political figure from his party to have visited the self-ruled island since Japan switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1972.
Leading a delegation that also includes Japanese Diet members Keisuke Suzuki and Kenji Nakanishi, Aso and his group arrived at Taipei’s Songshan Airport on Monday after being seen off from Tokyo by the island’s de facto ambassador to Japan, Frank Hsieh.
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“The visit by [LDP] vice-president Aso not only represents the solid relations between Taiwan and Japan but also shows that the two sides will deepen their substantive cooperation in all areas,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said, without elaborating on what those areas are.
Beijing views Taiwan as its territory that must be brought back under its control, by force if necessary. It has warned countries that recognise Beijing instead of Taipei against having official contacts with the self-ruled island. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but are opposed to any unilateral change of the cross-strait status quo by force.
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Aso’s visit is expected to provoke Beijing, which has long been displeased by his anti-Beijing remarks, including his comments in the past two years declaring that a Taiwan contingency was a contingency for Japan.
He said that such a situation was one of the conditions that needed to be met for Japan to exercise its right of collective self-defence, or coming to the aid of an ally under attack. “We need to think hard that Okinawa could be the next,” Aso said.
He made similar comments last year and earlier this year, calling for a drastic strengthening of Japan’s defences against a potential attack of Taiwan by Beijing, which he stressed could also lead to a military conflict on Japanese territory, including Okinawa.
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Beijing is expected to closely watch what Aso says in his speech and his meeting with senior officials while in Taiwan.
Aso’s visit comes as Beijing has ramped up pressure on Taiwan by sending dozens of warplanes and warships for missions around Taiwan.
Between 6am on Sunday and 6am Monday, 24 People’s Liberation Army warplanes and seven warships were operating around Taiwan, with 12 crossing the median line that separates the island and the mainland in the Taiwan Strait, the defence ministry in Taipei said on Monday.
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Lai is the only presidential candidate Aso has yet to talk to. Lai’s opponents, New Taipei mayor Hou Yu-ih of the main opposition Kuomintang party, and former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je, head of the opposition Taiwan People’s Party, both met the LDP deputy leader on recent visits to Tokyo.
