On China, Japan’s PM wants diplomacy, not war
A chat with Kishida Fumio, who urges smart engagement
JAPANESE OFFICIALS used to fret that America took the threat from China too coolly. Even after Chinese and Japanese ships clashed over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands a decade ago, American leaders pursued engagement. “We warned the US,” a former Japanese ambassador once grumbled to Banyan. But these days the mercury in America has risen sharply—its politicians compete to see who can sound most hawkish on China. This is now giving Japan the opposite worry.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Japan as thermostat”
Asia April 29th 2023
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- On China, Japan’s PM wants diplomacy, not war
From the April 29th 2023 edition
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