Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Sunday avoided criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s military strikes on Venezuela and capture of the Latin American nation\u2019s president, as Tokyo grapples with how to respond to a move widely seen as having violated international law.<\/p>\n
\u201cJapan has consistently respected fundamental values and principles such as freedom, democracy and the rule of law,\u201d Takaichi said in a post on X, hours after other Group of Seven leaders weighed in.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn response to the situation in Venezuela, the Japanese government, under my direction, is prioritizing the safety of Japanese nationals above all else while closely coordinating with relevant countries,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
The prime minister did not directly mention Trump or the military strikes by the U.S., Japan\u2019s top security ally.<\/p>\n
Takaichi\u2019s remarks echoed an earlier statement by the Foreign Ministry\u2019s press secretary, Toshihiro Kitamura, who also stressed Tokyo\u2019s consistent \u201crespect for the principles of international law.\u201d<\/p>\n
U.S. special forces under orders from President Donald Trump seized Maduro from the presidential palace in Caracas and flew him out of the country Saturday in a daring operation that ultimately saw the deposed leader land in a New York jail.<\/p>\n
Trump later said Venezuela would effectively be under U.S. control.<\/p>\n
Critics said the move amounted to a gross violation of international law, while experts said the White House had muddied the legal issues by claiming the operation was both a targeted law enforcement mission and the potential prelude to long-term U.S. control of the country.<\/p>\n
Some senior Japanese officials, including former Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, voiced concern over the move \u2014 and the precedent it could set for China and others.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe U.S. administration\u2019s invasion of Venezuela constitutes a \u2018change of the status quo by force\u2019 itself, contradicting arguments used to condemn China and Russia,\u201d Onodera, who currently serves as head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party\u2019s security research council, wrote on X.<\/p>\n
\u201cShould China attempt to change the status quo by force against Taiwan, even if the U.S. strongly opposes it, the Trump administration would struggle to rally international public opinion,\u201d he added. \u201cThis raises concerns that East Asia could become increasingly unstable.\u201d<\/p>\n