The Geostrategy Underlying Japan's Commitment to Taiwan

Despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, Japan has maintained unofficial bilateral relationships with Taiwan. Japan created the Japan–Taiwan Exchange Association in 1972 to replace its former embassy in Taiwan. In recent years, exchanges between lawmakers from Japan and Taiwan have become particularly frequent, and Japan has increasingly prioritized Taiwan in its security policy. This chapter addresses the questions of why Japan has maintained close relations with Taiwan and how it responded to the challenge posed by China to the stability of the Taiwan Strait. To answer these questions, the chapter first examines Japan&s;s historical ties with Taiwan that have formed the foundation of mutual affinities. Second, the chapter analyzes Japan&s;s role in the diversification of Taiwan&s;s semiconductor production sites. Taiwan&s;s semiconductors are a critical product in the global geoeconomics competition; therefore, Japan&s;s invitation to produce Taiwanese semiconductors could change the balance of economic and technological power in the region. Third, the chapter analyzes security issues critical to Japan, including international trade, the security of the Nansei Islands, and simulations for a Taiwan contingency. Finally, the chapter concludes with assessments of the actions that Japan has taken based on its economic interests and geographical proximity to Taiwan.