Photo/Illutration A Maritime Self-Defense Force supply vessel, left, refuels a U.S. Navy vessel during a training exercise in waters near Okinawa Prefecture in 2021. (From the Defense Ministry website)

Eighty percent of voters said they are worried that Japan would be caught up in the armed conflict if the United States and China clashed over Taiwan, according to an Asahi Shimbun survey.

A majority of respondents said the Self-Defense Forces should limit its role to rearguard support to the U.S. military in the event of an attempted Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

Survey questions were sent by mail to 3,000 randomly selected voters nationwide on Feb. 28. Valid responses were received from 1,967, or 66 percent.

Respondents were asked to choose from four varying degrees of concern that Japan would be dragged into a U.S.-China military confrontation over Taiwan.

Twenty-eight percent said they are concerned “greatly” and 52 percent said “to some degree.”

In contrast, 16 percent of respondents said they are “not concerned much” and only 2 percent said they are “not concerned at all.”

Thirty-five percent of respondents in the Kyushu region said they are concerned greatly, the largest percentage by region.

The southwestern region includes Okinawa Prefecture, which is close to Taiwan and home to a large majority of U.S. military installations in Japan.

Voters were asked to select from three choices about the SDF’s response to a possible U.S.-China military confrontation.

Fifty-six percent said the SDF’s role should be limited to rearguard support to the U.S. military.

Twenty-seven percent said the SDF should not work with the U.S. military, and 11 percent said the SDF should use force with the U.S. military.

By gender, 33 percent of female respondents said the SDF should not work with the U.S. military, exceeding the 21 percent of male respondents.

Voters were also asked which of the two approaches they think Japan should prioritize for its national security: deepening the relationship with China through diplomacy and the economy or strengthening defense capabilities.

Seventy percent selected “deepening the relationship with China,” far more than the 26 percent who chose “strengthening defense capabilities.”

By gender, 75 percent of female respondents chose “deepening the relationship with China,” exceeding the 64 percent of male respondents.

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