Speaking at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on Thursday, Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Yasutoshi Nishimura, hinted that Japan will join the US’ chip ban against China.
COMMENTS
In a veiled reference to China, the minister warned that “authoritarian countries have amassed tremendous power, both economically and militarily.”
To this end, Nishimura said that it was “absolutely imperative” for Japan and its allies “to reinforce… cooperation in the area of export control,” to “address the misuse of critical and emerging technologies” and “inappropriate transfers of technologies” by “malicious actors.”
He suggested that Japan and its allies “must rebuild a world order based on the fundamental values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”
Hinting at possible steps Tokyo will take to tackle the issue, the minister said “We might need to make preparations to identify the choke points of countries wanting to engage in coercion and then take countermeasures if necessary.”
Xi’s administration grew frustrated that tens of billions of dollars funneled into the industry didn’t produced breakthroughs -- and the policy sparked a backlash from the US. In fact, SMIC and Yangtze, the two most advanced Chinese chip players, were crippled by US sanctions.
— Peter Elstrom (@pelstrom) January 4, 2023
“We will implement strict export control grounded in international cooperation while engaging closely in exchanges of views with the United States and other relevant countries,” he asserted.
The minister noted that the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had taught Japan that it “must not be overly reliant on other countries, especially on only one specific country, for goods and technologies that are indispensable for our industries and our daily lives.”
Accordingly, he noted that “building up economic security” was “a matter of great urgency.” He further suggested that Japan and the US “make bold investments at a scale never seen before” in the field of semiconductors, biotechnology, and other key technologies.
JAPAN’S NEW DEFENCE STRATEGY
Commenting on Japan’s new defence strategy, which allows the country to spend 2% of its GDP on defence expenditure, Nishimura said that Japan “absolutely cannot tolerate unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force” in the East China Sea and South China Sea.
“Now, as authoritarian countries are deepening their confidence in their own military might, it is essential for us to solidly build up our deterrence capabilities,” he emphasised.
Now, top officials are discussing ways to move away from the costly subsidies that encouraged graft and American sanctions, sources said. Instead, they’re seeking alternative ways to assist homegrown chipmakers, such as lowering the cost of chip materials, the people said,
— Peter Elstrom (@pelstrom) January 4, 2023
Noting that Tokyo is willing to upscale its investment in hybrid warfare-related technologies, the politician expressed hope to “build up the development of dual-use technologies and supply chain cooperation, together with the Department of Defence.”
FUTURE US-JAPAN MEETINGS
Nishimura will meet with his US counterpart, Trade Representative Katherine Tai, on Friday. They will discuss ways to counter Chinese forced labour.
Meanwhile, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida will meet US President Biden at the White House next Friday.
In addition, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will co-host the 2023 US-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting with their respective Japanese counterparts, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada, next Wednesday in Washington.