JAKARTA Japan's Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, insists she is responsible for maximizing Japan's interests by building good relations with China through dialogue, amid the heated diplomatic relations between the two countries due to her statement about Taiwan.
Tokyo and Beijing relations deteriorated after Takaichi earlier this month said a military offensive against Taiwan could lead to a "sustainability-threatening situation" for Japan.
The statement was interpreted as a signal of the possible involvement of the Japan Self-Defense Forces in responding to the scenario.
The Communist Party-led China considers Taiwan a province that must be reunited with the mainland, if necessary with military force. Beijing is adamant that the Taiwanese issue, which has been ruled separately since its separation in 1949 due to civil war, is an internal matter.
In a one-on-one parliamentary debate with opposition party leaders on Wednesday, Takaichi said his statement on November 7 was sincerely delivered to answer specific questions regarding Japan's possible response to a state of emergency involving the self-governing democratic island.
Takaichi, who also leads the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said the government would make a comprehensive assessment of the definition of a situation that threatens sustainability taking into account all information and reviewing developing circumstances.
Concerns have increased over the impact of the diplomatic dispute. A number of political, business and cultural activities in the two countries have reportedly been postponed or canceled.
Takaichi's statement was delivered in response to Yoshihiko Noda's question, chairman of Japan's Constitutional Democratic Party, who also doubted the stimulus package worth around 21.3 trillion yen (140 billion US dollars or around Rp. 2.3 quadrillion) to address the increase in cost of living.
The package was approved last week by Takaichi, who is seen as a loose fiscal-feeding figure.
The stimulus plan triggered the weakening of yen and the sale of Japanese government bonds due to concerns over the country's fiscal condition, which is already the worst among developed countries with total debt more than twice its economic size, could worsen.
Takaichi said his government would take the necessary steps after reviewing whether foreign exchange market movements have recently reflected the fundamental economic conditions.
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