Japan Set to Lean on US Allies for Support If China Escalates

Japan will likely lean more heavily on the US and its allies if China escalates economic pressure, as Tokyo seeks to navigate the fallout from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks linking Taiwan’s security to its own.

China’s swift retaliation — warning tourists against visiting Japan, suspending seafood imports and freezing film approvals — hints at the economic leverage it holds over Tokyo and how limited Japan’s room for maneuver remains.