A group of Japanese lawmakers including two former defense ministers met with Taiwan's president on Thursday in a rare high-level visit to discuss regional security.
The delegation, led by lawmaker and former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, said it wanted to reach an agreement with Taiwan on defense issues and prepare for any potential conflict in the region, while also seeking to prevent conflict from breaking out.
“We need to think ahead about what kind of situations could happen, what kind of laws and agreements we should prepare, and what kind of armaments we could use,” he said in prepared remarks at the Presidential Office. “We need to work together to reach consensus on this ahead of anything that could happen.”
Ishiba noted that Japan is also working closely with the U.S to prevent conflict in the Indo-Pacific, saying the defense allies “had no choice” but to prepare.
Tensions in the region have risen amid increasing assertiveness from China, whose authoritarian ruling Communist Party considers democratic, self-ruling Taiwan its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary.
The group of Japanese lawmakers was welcomed by President Tsai Ing-wen and will also meet with Su Tseng-chang, president of the Executive Yuan, and representatives from Taiwan's Defense Ministry.