Somehow, I don’t believe this one, they say one thing and mean the other so much that quite frankly unless that Japanese PM really goes back on her word, I still will consider this to be something the USA pushed Japan to say and is trying the old good cop routine to make them selves look good. They have done this routine so many times that I do believe the idea that theUSA pushed them up to this although they might try to backtrack because they suddenly remember that actions has consequences and that China isn’t biting
Takaichi has made a career of saying similar inflamatory remarks. It's nothing new for her, and the only real difference is that she's prime minister now. If the US had really pushed Japan into provoking China, then they most certainly wouldn't have pushed her into provoking South Korea at the very same time. The thing is that Takaichi can't help herself because this is who she is now, and Japanese nativism is her tool to make up for not having a real power base. And it's working out for her personally as her popularity is sky high now.
Honestly, it's a complete disaster for Japan and it's a mini-disaster for the US. It works out pretty well for China though because they could really use somebody to bully right now, and Japan has alienated in the region so nobody wants to speak out for them. The group that really hates life right now is the JASDF. The F-15J is their primary fighter for combat patrols and intercepts, and it's quite clear now that it's just not adequate for facing off against Chinese fighters,
and everybody knows it now. Neither the F-2 nor the F-35 are well-suited for long range maritime patrol so there's no good alternatives out there.