Japan

Asahi Shimbun - E | English | News | Nov. 27, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

Japan has rejected China’s letter to the United Nations that accused Tokyo of threatening military intervention over Taiwan, calling the allegations "inconsistent with the facts and unsubstantiated." Japanese U.N. Ambassador Kazuyuki Yamazaki emphasized Japan's policy of "passive defense," countering China's assertion that Japan would exercise self-defense rights absent an armed attack.

The letter from China’s U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong accused Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of violating international law and diplomatic norms following her statements that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could provoke a Japanese military response. Fu’s letter represents the strongest official Chinese criticism of Takaichi since she assumed office last month and highlights escalating tensions between the two countries, including damage to trade relations and cancellations of Japanese cultural events in China.

Prime Minister Takaichi reportedly held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, during which Trump encouraged open communication and discussed the current state of U.S.-China relations, including a recent call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump has not publicly addressed the Japan-China dispute, a situation seen as potentially troubling by Tokyo officials.

China claims Taiwan, located roughly 100 kilometers from Japanese territory, and has not ruled out military action to assert control. Taiwan's government rejects these claims and insists that its future should be determined solely by its people.

Nippon | English | News | Nov. 27, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi does not need to retreat from her recent statements regarding a potential contingency over Taiwan, despite increased tensions between Japan and China. Kenneth Weinstein, Japan chair at the U.S. think tank Hudson Institute, emphasized that backing off is not a sensible option.

Weinstein described the issue as part of a broader national security strategy debate in Japan, rather than just a matter about Taiwan. He noted that Japan faces a no-win situation where it cannot afford to back down and must continue to advance its security posture.

Earlier in November, Takaichi commented that a Taiwan contingency could pose a threat to Japan’s survival, which would justify Japan exercising its right to collective self-defense.

ガソリン減税法案が衆院通過 今国会成立の公算、年内実施へ

Nikkei | Local Language | News | Nov. 27, 2025 | Regulation

The House of Representatives passed a gasoline tax reduction bill on November 25, and it is expected to be enacted in the current Diet session. The bill abolishes the old provisional tax rate of 25.1 yen per liter on gasoline effective December 31, 2025, and will eliminate the 17.1 yen per liter provisional tax rate on diesel starting April 1, 2026. The bill was initially submitted in August by seven opposition parties and later amended after an agreement among six major parties to set the implementation date at the end of the year.

To prevent sudden price shocks resulting from the tax cuts, the government has been incrementally increasing gasoline subsidies by 5 yen every two weeks, raising subsidies from 10 yen to 15 yen per liter on November 13 and planning to increase them to 20 yen on November 27, with a final adjustment by December 11 to match the tax surcharge. Diesel subsidies are being raised similarly to maintain market stability.

The tax reductions will result in an estimated revenue loss of 1.5 trillion yen for both national and local governments. The ruling and opposition parties plan to identify alternative stable funding sources within the year, focusing on expenditure cuts, revision or abolition of corporate tax special measures, and increased burdens on very high-income earners. Additional funding measures will be decided within about a year, with attention to preserving road infrastructure and aligning with CO2 reduction targets.

The provisional gasoline tax rate was introduced in 1974 to finance road construction and converted into general revenue in 2009 but has remained effectively as a temporary tax until now.