The Japanese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday released its 2024 Diplomatic Bluebook, which is a reflection of Japan’s foreign policy. This year’s edition underscored Japan’s deep concern over China’s military movements, labeling them as unprecedented strategic challenges. While referring to Japan-Taiwan relations, it also highlighted the critical importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait not only for Japan's security but also for stability in the international community.
Japan’s Bluebook mentioned Taiwan's importance as a partner given their mutually shared values and close economic ties. It underscored the significance of Taiwan’s democratic process, where president-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德) won the elections. The report detailed high-level exchanges between Taiwan and Japan, including visits by Taiwan's vice premier to Japan and Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party vice president to Taiwan. Furthermore, it acknowledged the significant number of Taiwanese tourists to Japan, amounting to 4.2 million in 2023, indicating strong people-to-people ties.
Regarding China's military activities, the Diplomatic Bluebook expressed concerns over Chinese naval and aerial maneuvers. It called for a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues, as emphasized during the G7 summit held in Hiroshima in 2023. It condemned China's actions in militarizing the South China Sea and its attempts to unilaterally change the status quo in the East and South China Sea, posing challenges to regional stability.
While the report stated that Japan seeks to build a “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests” with China through dialogue, it also reaffirmed Japan's commitment to working with allies and like-minded nations to counter regional challenges effectively.