Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during the Japanese House of Representatives plenary session in Tokyo yesterday. Such a change could significantly widen the range of defense equipment Japanese firms sell overseas. “China has intensified its attempts to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion in the East China Sea and South China Sea,” Takaichi said. He criticized what he described as China’s “attempt to change the status quo with force,” adding that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are of great importance. Japan has also directly conveyed its concerns over regional security to China, and that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are closely linked to the prosperity and security of Japan and the world, it added.

Source: Taipei Times February 20, 2026 16:49 UTC