On November 7, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi responded to a question from an opposition lawmaker, stating that 'a contingency in Taiwan is a contingency for Japan.' Most importantly, she warned that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would pose an 'existential threat' to Japan. As a result, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces would need to conduct 'collective defense' operations alongside its allies. The speech enraged China and set off a chain of reactions. The strong rebuttal and