Hamilton Lugar School professor Adam Liff, a leading scholar of East Asian security and international relations, recently provided expert analysis on NPR regarding the diplomatic fallout from Japan. The discussion centered on Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remark suggesting a Chinese military move against Taiwan could pose an “existential threat” to Japan—a statement that drew sharp criticism from Beijing and has raised questions about Tokyo’s strategic posture.
During a thirty-minute interview with NPR, Liff provided crucial context on Japan’s long-standing policy of strategic ambiguity regarding Taiwan. He explained that while the recent comments are unusually direct from a sitting prime minister, they do not signal a major policy shift. Liff emphasized that Japan’s 2015 security legislation—another focus of his past work—permits collective self-defense under limited conditions and sitting government officials have typically avoided specifying the scenarios that could trigger military involvement.
This analysis draws on Liff's extensive research into Japan's security policy, the U.S.–Japan alliance, and the complex dynamics of the "One China" framework, highlighting how Japan navigates a balance of deterrence, alliance commitments, and constitutional constraints amid rising regional tensions.
As the Taiwan Strait remains a flashpoint in Indo-Pacific security, Liff’s expert analysis underscores the vital importance of understanding Japan’s nuanced approach—one that seeks to maintain stability while simultaneously preparing for contingencies that could involve its closest ally, the United States.
Liff is a professor of East Asian International Relations in the IU Hamilton Lugar School’s East Asian Languages and Cultures Department and founding director of the school’s 21st Century Japan Politics and Society Initiative. He is an expert on Japanese politics and foreign policy, the U.S.–Japan alliance, Taiwan Strait dynamics, and East Asia security affairs. Students interested in these topics can enroll in his cutting-edge courses on security flashpoints in East Asia, Japanese foreign policy, and U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy, among others, or visit his personal website for publications, policy briefs, and commentary on current security challenges.
To learn more, hear the full story at the NPR website.
