Takaichi Sanae won Japan's Liberal Democratic Party leadership election and is now expected to become the next prime minister. Associate Professor at Kyushu University Ian Rowen discusses what potential impact that may have on Japan's ties with Taiwan, China and the US.
00:00Assuming Takaichi Sani does become the next prime minister, would she prioritize defense, the economy, or societal problems that Japan is facing?
00:08I think Takaichi's first priority is going to be shoring up her own position in the party, in parliament, and making sure that her coalition can stay together.
00:17She's spoken about fiscal stimulus. She's spoken about increasing Japan's presence in the world, increasing its military partnerships.
00:25She's also very known for having a socially conservative stance, but how she prioritizes this, in what order she pursues this agenda, remains to be seen.
00:34And how ambitious she can be is going to depend on how much she can shore up her own position in the party, in parliament, and nationally.
00:43What do you think her victory means for Japan's ties with Taiwan?
00:46She has met with Taiwan's leaders. She has visited Taiwan. She has hosted Taiwanese foreign minister within Japan.
00:54And she's talked about a quasi-security alliance between Japan, Taiwan, India, and Australia.
01:00This perhaps has an increased impetus, as the U.S. seems more and more like an unreliable partner under the current U.S. administration.
01:09So she may look set to pursue this. However, as Japan also recalibrates its relationship with China, and as the U.S. does so as well,
01:18the scope with which she can pursue that kind of agreement remains to be seen.
01:22What about Japan's ties with other neighbors like China and South Korea, and obviously with the U.S.?
01:29She's known for taking a more hawkish stance on China.
01:32She's known for wanting to build up Japan's military, to revise its constitution, like her predecessor and mentor, in a way, former Prime Minister Abe.
01:40She's also spoken about a need to deepen security relationships with South Korea, in addition to Taiwan.
01:47That said, again, Japan and China's economic and trade ties are extremely important to both countries.
01:54And so, again, how she pursues this kind of security arrangement will remain to be seen.
01:59It's also possible that her hawkish stances on China have been calibrated to raise her profile in the party and nationally.
02:06So, again, the distinction between what she says on campaign trails and in her past service as a minister
02:12and how she'll actually pursue things as Prime Minister is a question mark for all of Japan and for Taiwan as well.
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