By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described a hypothetical scenario concerning Taiwan as a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, implying the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait and refused to correct her position following China’s solemn representations.
This stance constitutes a serious violation of the basic norms governing international relations. Her erroneous actions have triggered concern and alarm in the international community regarding Japan’s strategic trajectory, and their negative impact is already spilling over into Japan’s economy and society.
Notably, prominent Japanese media have observed that Takaichi’s own political posture represents “survival-threatening situation” for Japan. This assessment exposes the risks associated with her identity as a hardline right-wing politician. Her policy orientation appears to be steering Japan toward a perilous path of militarism and war, a path that can only end in ruin.
Takaichi’s erroneous remarks on the Taiwan question represent a flagrant interference in China’s internal affairs, a grave breach of international law and the basic norms of international relations, and a disruption to peace and stability in the region and the world at large.
As a defeated country in the World War II, Japan ought to strictly abide by its Pacifist Constitution and uphold the principle of never again waging war. This is the responsible attitude it should demonstrate toward history and toward the world.
Yet in the year marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, Takaichi has openly issued threats of force against China. This betrays a complete lack of respect for history and constitutes a brazen challenge to peace. A politician who is willing to sacrifice national interests and world peace for personal political gain will ultimately harm herself, harm her country, and endanger the world.
There is clear political calculation behind Takaichi’s attempt to exploit the Taiwan question. Insightful observers in Japan pointed out that she is evidently seeking to cement her support base by continually hyping the so-called “China threat” and stoking alarm about China, adopting an aggressively hardline posture to maintain her core constituency.
She has not only fully inherited but further radicalized the “political legacy” of Japan’s right-wing politicians, turning serious national policy issues into tools for personal political performance. Crucially, she exploits the Taiwan question — an issue central to the very foundation of China-Japan relations — as a bargaining chip for her own political gain. Tethering Japan’s future such personal political ambition risks leading the country astray and could precipitate disastrous consequences.
Takaichi’s unwavering position highlights the growing influence of right-wing forces in Japan and the the persistent influence of militarism. The Potsdam Proclamation issued after the World War II explicitly required Japan to be disarmed, and Japan’s Pacifist Constitution enshrined the principle of exclusively defense-oriented policy.
Yet Japan’s right-wing forces have relentlessly sought to dismantle post-war constraints through significantly increased defense budgets, pursuit of offensive capabilities, and challenges to Japan’s Three Non-Nuclear Principles, accelerating the nation’s movement toward military expansion.
By exaggerating the so-called “survival-threatening situation,” Takaichi is in fact seeking excuses for loosening military restrictions and pushing for constitutional revision. Such a dangerous trajectory poses a serious challenge to the post-war international order and would once again place the Japanese people in grave peril.
Takaichi’s misguided statements and actions have significantly damaged China-Japan relations, imposing the costs of her political ambitions on Japanese citizens. China is Japan’s largest trading partner, second-largest export market, and biggest source of imports. Should the Japanese side refuse to repent and persist in making repeated mistakes, China will have no choice but to take even firmer and more resolute countermeasures.
According to Bloomberg, risk aversion in the capital market has risen significantly amid concerns over Japan’s fiscal outlook and turbulence in China-Japan relations triggered by Takaichi’s irresponsible remarks on Taiwan, fueling active “sell Japan” trades in global markets.
Japanese economists estimate that a sharp drop in Chinese tourists visiting Japan could reduce Japan’s GDP by 0.36 percent, with economic losses amounting to as much as 2.2 trillion yen (about $14.05 billion), further exacerbating Japan’s already struggling economy.
Eighty years ago, the Potsdam Proclamation issued a solemn warning to Japan: “The time has come for Japan to decide whether she will continue to be controlled by those self-willed militaristic advisers whose unintelligent calculations have brought the Empire of Japan to the threshold of annihilation, or whether she will follow the path of reason. “
Revisiting these words today, their message remains powerful and profound. History shows that if Japan’s right-wing politicians persist in willful provocation and hostile adventurism, the inevitable outcome will be the historical verdict that war-mongering spells doom.
(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)
