Japan PM voices support for Taiwan's observer status at WHO; wants 'no geographical void'

On Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida voiced his support for Taiwan's attendance as an observer at the World Health Organisation's decision-making body's annual conference, as per Kyodo News. Taiwan is barred from membership in most international organisations due to China's resistance, which claims the complete sovereignty of the democratic country and sees it as one of its provinces rather than a country.

PM Kishida said in Parliament that Japan has consistently supported Taiwan's attendance as an observer as it believes there should not be a geographical void when dealing with world health concerns, according to Kyodo News. He also stated that they will continue to work with other countries to invite Taiwan to attend. Taiwan has taken effective steps in containing the spread of the novel coronavirus in a timely and transparent manner.

Taiwan unable to attend the World Health Assembly in May

Despite requests from the G7 countries including Japan, who wanted it to attend the annual round of the World Health Assembly in May, Taiwan was unable to attend. In June, Japan's House of Councillors passed a motion demanding that the government urge other countries to recognise Taiwan's attendance.

As Japan continues to deepen its relations with Taiwan, China's relation with the country, on the other hand, is deteriorating. Japan has become more vociferous in its opposition to China's expanding power in the area, particularly on topics of Taiwan and Hong Kong. 

Following the election win of Fumio Kishida in October, there were hopes that bilateral relations between the two Asian countries would improve marginally. According to the Star, a person with expertise in China-Japan relations stated that there were hints of progress after Kishida took office, with the assumption of working-level communications but apparently, that did not happen.

Ex-Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's statement on China

Last week, former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe stated that neither Japan nor the United States would stand by if mainland China attacked Taiwan, and that an emergency for the island would also be an emergency for Japan, according to the Star. Shinzo also cautioned that people in Beijing, particularly President Xi Jinping, should not misjudge his statement. After his statement, Beijing is vowing to reconsider bilateral relations with Tokyo.

Image: AP