Former Japanese PM Hatoyama Calls on PM Takaichi to Apologize for Taiwan Remarks

At the Jeju Forum 2026 in South Korea, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama called on current Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to immediately correct and apologize for her recent remarks concerning Taiwan, which he argued violate the 1972 Japan-China Joint Statement. Speaking at the forum's opening ceremony on June 25, Hatoyama, who also serves as president of the East Asian Community Institute, stated that the Japanese government should not support "Taiwan independence" and must uphold the joint statement's recognition of the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate government of China, with Taiwan as an inalienable part of Chinese territory.

Hatoyama specifically referenced Takaichi's recent statements about "Taiwan having an emergency," which she characterized as potentially constituting a Japanese "existential crisis situation" and referred to Japan's possible exercise of collective self-defense rights in cooperation with U.S. forces supporting Taiwan. He contended that such statements contradict the 1972 joint statement's spirit and expressed understanding for China's angry response to these remarks.

Beyond his call for an apology, Hatoyama emphasized the urgency of improving Japan-China relations as essential to guiding East Asia toward peace. He advocated for concrete measures to reduce Taiwan Strait tensions, including strengthening crisis management mechanisms and establishing military hotlines to build trust between the parties. He also proposed broader regional security dialogue mechanisms.

Hatoyama further suggested that establishing a nuclear-weapons-free zone in Northeast Asia through a six-party dialogue involving South Korea, North Korea, Japan, China, Russia, and the United States would help ease tensions. He stressed that reducing dependence on nuclear weapons and building frameworks of mutual trust are essential pathways to maintaining long-term regional stability. The Jeju Forum, held June 24-26, brought together world leaders and experts to discuss peace and prosperity amid global divisions.