Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi broke with years of precedent last Friday by hinting in parliament that Japan could provide military support for Taiwan under certain “worst-case” scenarios such as a Chinese attack on the democratic island. Days later, Takaichi stuck to her guns, refusing to withdraw her remarks , but softened them Monday by claiming that she did not intend to contradict prior governments’ stances that have been deliberately vague on how Tokyo would respond to a Chinese move on