Why the feud between Tokyo and Beijing could rage on for a while yet

Nearly two months after Japan's new prime minister enraged Beijing with her remarks on Taiwan, the issue is not going away. Sanae Takaichi set off a diplomatic firestorm in November when she suggested that Japan could justify a military response if Beijing attacked Taiwan. Kei Koga, associate professor of public policy and global affairs at Singapore's NTU, pointed to Washington's stance as another factor in the protracted tensions between Tokyo and Beijing. Koga said the Donald Trump administration's Taiwan policy was "extremely unclear", and with Trump potentially visiting China in April, Washington appeared "unwilling to confront Beijing in the near term". "China may therefore see this moment as an opportunity to drive a wedge between Japan and the US," he said.

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