Japanese Public Divided on Military Response to China Over Taiwan, Kyodo Poll Shows
A recent survey reveals mixed opinions among the Japanese population regarding their country's potential military action if China were to attack Taiwan.
TOKYO: The Japanese public is divided on whether Japan should exercise its right to collective self-defense if China attacks Taiwan, according to a Kyodo news agency poll conducted on Sunday.
The survey found that 48.8 percent of respondents support this stance, while 44.2 percent oppose it.
Additionally, there is strong backing for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's plan to increase defense spending, with 60.4 percent in favor.This opinion poll comes at a time when tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have heightened following recent remarks by Takaichi regarding Taiwan.
The Japanese premier stated on November 7 that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute a 'survival-threatening situation,' potentially leading to a military response from Japan.
China has not ruled out using force to assert its claim over the democratically-governed Taiwan, which is just 110 kilometers from Japanese territory.
Taiwan's government firmly rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.Takaichi's remarks have prompted an angry reaction from Chinese authorities, who also issued a travel warning for their citizens in Japan.
Takaichi has pledged to reach a target of allocating 2 percent of Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) towards defense spending in the current fiscal year through March, ahead of the initially projected fiscal 2027 timeline.
This announcement came during her policy speech last month.The approval rating for Takaichi's cabinet saw an increase to 69.9 percent in the most recent survey, a 5.5 percentage point rise from the previous month's figures, as reported by Kyodo.
The survey found that 48.8 percent of respondents support this stance, while 44.2 percent oppose it.
Additionally, there is strong backing for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's plan to increase defense spending, with 60.4 percent in favor.This opinion poll comes at a time when tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have heightened following recent remarks by Takaichi regarding Taiwan.
The Japanese premier stated on November 7 that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute a 'survival-threatening situation,' potentially leading to a military response from Japan.
China has not ruled out using force to assert its claim over the democratically-governed Taiwan, which is just 110 kilometers from Japanese territory.
Taiwan's government firmly rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims.Takaichi's remarks have prompted an angry reaction from Chinese authorities, who also issued a travel warning for their citizens in Japan.
Takaichi has pledged to reach a target of allocating 2 percent of Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) towards defense spending in the current fiscal year through March, ahead of the initially projected fiscal 2027 timeline.
This announcement came during her policy speech last month.The approval rating for Takaichi's cabinet saw an increase to 69.9 percent in the most recent survey, a 5.5 percentage point rise from the previous month's figures, as reported by Kyodo.
