Japan says Taiwan stance 'unchanged'; China summons Japan ambassador

Japan said Friday that its position on Taiwan has not changed, amid a spat with Beijing following comments from hawkish new premier Sanae Takaichi about a possible attack by China on the self-ruled island.

"Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are important not only for Japan's security but also for the stability of the international community," Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters.

"It is the consistent position of the Japanese government that we hope for a peaceful resolution of issues surrounding Taiwan through dialogue," he said.

"The Japanese government's position on Taiwan remains unchanged and is consistent with the 1972 Japan-China Joint Communique."

The 1972 communique normalised bilatera

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