Abstract
This chapter analyzes the dynamics of Sino-Japanese relations against the backdrop of renewed US-China competition following the re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. President in 2024 and the ascension of Shigeru Ishiba as Japan's Prime Minister the same year. The geopolitical rivalry between the US and China, framed by some as a "New Cold War," involves a struggle for power balance and ideological opposition in East Asia, encompassing key areas such as the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and Southeast Asia. Japan has consistently expressed concern over the Taiwan Strait's peace and stability to the Chinese side, and the US-Japan joint statement explicitly supported Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations for the first time. Ishiba's resignation in September 2025 introduces new variables. While the fundamental trajectory of improved, pragmatic Sino-Japanese relations within the US-China framework is expected to continue, a breakthrough is unlikely.
Keywords: US-China Competition, Sino-Japanese Relations, Taiwan Strait, Donald Trump, Shigeru Ishiba