A prospective new Japan's Prime Minister emphasis that Japan and the US must prepare for a potential crisis as Taiwan is on the front lines of democracy’s fight against authoritarianism.

Former Japanese minister of foreign affairs Fumio Kishida, who has expressed his intention to run for leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said that Japan should consider building its defensive missile-strike capability.

Japan should be prepared for a missile attack, especially as its adversaries’ capabilities are improving by the day Mr. Kishida told in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

Can we protect the lives of the people by watching silently as Japan gets hit? former top diplomat asked, emphasising the threat of hypersonic guided missiles such as Communist China’s DF-17.

It is also crucial to work with partners to counter
authoritarian advances from China and Russia, he added.

The front line of the clash between authoritarianism and democracy is Asia, and particularly Taiwan, Mr. Kishida observed.

Mr. Kishida on Aug. 26 announced his candidacy for the Sept. 29 election to replace Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga as party leader, after Mr. Suga on Friday last week said he would not run again for the party’s top post, making way for a new prime minister to be determined in the vote.