There he goes again. U.S. President Joe Biden’s remarks last week about defending Taiwan raised a lot of eyebrows in Tokyo. When asked in a CNN town hall meeting whether “the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s defense if China attacked,” the president said “Yes, we have a commitment to do that.”
No wonder, following the president's remarks, White House press secretary Jen Psaki had to clarify that “The president was not announcing any change in our policy nor has he made a decision to change our policy,” meaning the "strategic ambiguity" of the United States in the event of an emergency in Taiwan.
Japan’s mainstream media interpreted this story in varying ways. While the majority reported Biden said he had a “responsibility” to defend Taiwan, others translated the remarks as he had an “obligation” to do that. Some reported that Biden said he had a “pledge” or “promise” to defend the island.