Hong Kong’s Fate Spurs Japan to Speak Up About Defending Taiwan
Former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe is the latest to air China concerns, as the U.S. continues to press Beijing over the Taiwan Strait.
During his long tenure as Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe deftly avoided overtures toward Taiwan that would jolt ties with China. Now, he’s joined the growing chorus of Japanese voices calling for greater support for the democratically ruled island.
The former premier was among a group of Japanese lawmakers who gathered in a large wood-paneled room in Tokyo last week for a video conference with counterparts from Taiwan and the U.S. to discuss shared concerns. Abe, who retains leadership of a key ruling party faction, said Japan couldn’t allow what happened in Hong Kong to befall Taiwan, according to broadcaster TBS.