Japanese divided on military response to China over Taiwan, Kyodo poll shows

TOKYO: The Japanese public is divided on whether Japan should exercise its right to collective self-defense if China attacks Taiwan, a Kyodo news agency poll found on Sunday (Nov 16).

The survey found 48.8 per cent in favour and 44.2 per cent against, while 60.4 per cent backed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s plan to beef up the country’s defence spending.

The opinion poll comes at a time when a diplomatic spat between Tokyo and Beijing has intensified following Takaichi’s remarks related to Taiwan. 

The Japanese premier said on Nov 7 that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could amount to a “survival-threatening situation” and trigger a potential military response from Tokyo.

China has not ruled out using force to assert its claim to democratically-governed Taiwan, which is only 110km from Japanese territory. 

Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.