PRESS CONFERENCE
Japan's Standoff with China Over Taiwan

Masayuki Masuda, National Institute for Defense Studies, Head of China Division
John Chuan Tiong Lim, Research fellow, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, Tokyo University

11:00-12:00 Thursday, January 8, 2026
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.

The Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan invites members of the press to a briefing by two leading scholars on perhaps the most important security issue facing Japan today, its current standoff with China over Taiwan.

The current diplomatic row began last month, when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told the Diet that a Chinese blockade or invasion of Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response. "If it involves the use of warships and the use of force, I believe that this could constitute an existential threat," she told lawmakers.

China reacted strongly, curtailing tourism, canceling meetings and concerts and unleashing its wolf diplomats, including one who threatened to behead Takaichi. But if Beijing thought it could intimidate Tokyo, it has so far miscalculated. Riding a wave of public support, Takaichi has qualified her comments but refused to back down. Meanwhile, both sides have made appeals to President Donald Trump, who remains coy.

To help us understand what is happening and how to think about it, we have invited two influential experts: Masayuki Masuda, the head of the China Division at the National Institute for Defense Studies, and John Chuan Tiong Lim, research fellow of the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia at the University of Tokyo. Please join us for what will doubtlessly be a fascinating and rich discussion.

How to attend: 
Please register by emailing front@fccj.or.jp with your name and the name of your media outlet. FCCJ members should also include their membership number. Doors will open 15 minutes before the event.

How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live

How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/ZNJzpgHnkpuUWiZDA

TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event. FCCJ will limit live-streaming of FCCJ-hosted press conferences to Club members only. Non-members will no longer be permitted to live-stream these events. However, non-members may still film for reporting purposes and use footage after the press conference.

Professional Activities Committee