'You are on your own if China invades': Japan's warning to its firms in Taiwan, says report

China claims the territory of Taiwan as its own and has warned that it will claim it by force if Taipei does not submit itself to Beijing, the report said.

In a setback for Taiwan, top Japanese government officials have informed their companies operating in Taiwan that they would be “on their own” in case China decides to invade the island, a report by The Financial Times said.

The warnings are likely to hit Taiwan’s one of the largest source of foreign direct investments as it shows the “practical and political difficulties” of doing business in the region amid the threat of a war, the report said.

China claims the territory of Taiwan as its own and has warned that it will claim it by force if Taipei does not submit itself to Beijing, the report said.

The US military has been seeking clarity on the roles its allies would play in the event of a clash with China over Taiwan, FT said. The report said Pentagon had recently sought the response of Japan and Australia over the issue.

Japanese officials told FT that under its pacifist policies, its military will need the clearance from the host nation for any evacuation plans. The approval is unlikely to come as Taiwan’s government is not recognised by Japan, the report said.