The American military’s freedom to make use of Japanese bases in the event of a conflict in the area was a key issue under discussion in 1969, as Washington and Tokyo negotiated the upcoming reversion of Okinawa to Japanese sovereignty. Taiwan was then a one-party state under the authoritarian rule of Chiang Kai-shek and his Kuomintang (Nationalist Party), but it had long been treated by Washington as a key ally in the Cold War in East Asia.
At that time, both Washington and Tokyo maintained formal diplomatic relations with the Taiwan-based Republic of China, which they viewed as the legitimate government of China. It is also worth noting that the previous reference, occurring in 1969, took place under vastly different circumstances. The April 16 document, as others have noted, was the first Japan-US joint statement in more than a half century to include any explicit reference to Taiwan or cross-strait relations.
In fact, taken together with the March 16 meeting of the Japan-US Security Consultative Committee Meeting (2+2) and the March 18–19 US-China meeting in Anchorage, it constitutes a groundbreaking expression of joint opposition to the threat of armed action by China against Taiwan. Among other items, the statement included language affirming “the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.” This is the same phrasing the Japanese government has used on many occasions, causing some commentators to dismiss its significance. Get the latest news from in your inbox.On April 16, 2021, Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and US President Joe Biden released a joint statement in conjunction with their bilateral summit.
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