Japan sends letter to UN to ”respond”... ”China's claims are baseless”

China took issue with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks suggesting that the country should "intervene in the event of an emergency in Taiwan," and launched a public opinion battle by strongly criticizing her in the international community, prompting Japan to also take action.
On the 24th (local time), the Japanese representative to the United Nations issued a letter in response to a letter sent by China to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres demanding that Prime Minister Takaichi retract her remarks regarding Taiwan.
The Japanese government announced on its website that it had also sent a letter to Secretary-General Guterres. In the letter, Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Kazuyuki Yamazaki stated, "China's claims are contrary to the facts and lack any basis."
"I had no choice but to refute it, and I sent the letter based on instructions from my home country," he explained. He continued, "Some countries have been expanding their military power in a non-transparent manner for many years, despite the opposition of neighboring countries.
"Japan is opposed to such moves. Japan's basic defense policy is completely different from China's assertions," he said.
It is a passive defense strategy known as "exclusively defensive defense."
"The remarks made by Prime Minister Takaichi that China has pointed out are based on this consistent position.
"It is a mistake for China to claim that 'Japan will exercise its right of self-defense' even though no armed attack has occurred," he countered.
He continued, "Our country has long expressed its hope that the issues surrounding Taiwan will be resolved peacefully through dialogue.
This has been our consistent position," he added.