Tomihisa Takei, retired Admiral and the 32nd Chief of Staff Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Special advisor to the CEO of SAMPA KOGYO K.K.

Ever since Chiang Kai-shek led Kuomintang forces across the Taiwan Strait in 1949, the Chinese Communist Party has aimed for Taiwan's unification with the Chinese mainland. By contrast, Japan has never articulated a defense policy regarding Taiwan. Although the Taiwan issue has become central to security in the Pacific, Japan continues to avoid any direct reference to Taiwan. The 2022 National Security Strategy identified China as Japan's greatest strategic challenge, hinting at likely significant changes in Japanese defense policy in the future. This talk will examine Japan's defense policy toward Taiwan and the implications of a Chinese military unification of Taiwan for Japan.