, Columnist
Japan Can Keep Calm and Carry On Decoupling From China
Japan has been working to reduce its exposure to China for years.
Photographer: Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP/Getty Images
Tokyo has displayed admirable restraint in the face of Beijing’s outbursts over the past two months.
When China signaled a 40% cut in tourists to Japan, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi could have responded — perhaps by rolling back publicly unpopular relaxed visa requirements for Chinese travelers, agreed upon only in 2024. She demurred. When Chinese aircraft locked fire-control radar on Japanese jets, she didn’t reciprocate; instead, she sought to talk things over via a hotline established in 2023. Beijing didn’t pick up.