Multiple experts on international affairs have lashed out at Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for deliberately provoking China over the Taiwan question, warning that her recent remarks have severely damaged diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Takaichi recently said that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan. She refused to retract her remarks that imply the possibility of armed intervention across the Taiwan Strait.
She is the first Japanese prime minister since Japan's announcement of unconditional surrender in World War II (WWII) in 1945 to make formal comments that the Japanese Self-Defense Force could exercise the so-called "right of collective self-defense" if the Chinese mainland uses military forces against Taiwan which is actually an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. In response, multiple experts pointed out that the Japanese authorities' clamor for military intervention across Taiwan affairs is a gross interference in China's internal affairs, a breach of trust in the one-China principle, and a blatant provocation to the international order after WWII.
"Sanae Takaichi's wrongful remarks were the most heinous and serious act of provocation on the Taiwan question since the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan in 1972, and have had a very serious impact on China-Japan relations," said Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow of the Department for Asia-Pacific Studies under China Institute of International Studies (CIIS). "The Japanese prime minister's remarks were a deliberate provocation, even attempting to cross China's baseline and red line. The Taiwan question is part of China's internal affairs and also part of China's core interests. The Japanese side's wrongful remarks violate the one-China principle and undermine the political foundation of China-Japan relations. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the restoration of Taiwan. At such an important juncture, Japan's wrongful remarks challenge the post-war order and international rules," said Su Xiaohui, an associate research fellow at the CIIS. The experts noted that according to Takaichi's political career, it's easy to see her close relationship with former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. After taking office, Takaichi continued Abe's right-wing policy stance, taking a radical approach to strengthening military power and revising Japan's postwar pacifist Constitution, proposing to increase Japan's defense spending.
She herself has frequently visited the notorious Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, denied the Nanjing Massacre, and even vigorously promoted the so-called "China threat theory," attempting to overturn the history of aggression and revive militarism, according to the experts.
"Japan has been making continuous moves on the Taiwan question, shifting from behind the scenes to the forefront, and gradually amplifying its moves in attempting to intervene in the Taiwan question and 'internationalize' it. Japan's provocations regarding Taiwan are actually creating trouble for itself. In recent years, Japan's political rightward shift has intensified, and Japan has been constantly attempting to break through the principle of 'exclusive defense.' Meanwhile, we can see that Japan has been making continuous attempts to disrupt the post-war order, especially in exercising the right of collective self-defense. Recent wrongful statements by Japan regarding the 'three non-nuclear principles' have already attracted the attention of countries in the region. In other words, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, and considering the long-term peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region, Japan has now become a significant negative factor," Su said.
"Japan is the only country in the world that exercised 50 years of colonial rule over China's Taiwan Province. Therefore, some Japanese, especially right-wing anti-China politicians like Sanae Takaichi, believe they have no remorse for Japan's historical colonial rule over Taiwan. Thus, Takaichi's remarks were not a slip of the tongue or her personal opinion, which in fact fully exposed the long-standing thoughts and specific strategic plans of Japan's right-wing anti-China forces. Having experienced 80 years of defeat, Japan seems to have returnedto the Japan of the 1894-1895 First Sino-Japanese War era, not only strengthening its military power but also clearly targeting China. Regarding this, I believe we must be sober-minded and remain highly vigilant about whether Japan will pursue a path of peaceful development or retrogression to its historical past," said Liu Jiangyong, a professor of the Department of International Relations, Tsinghua University.
Takaichi's wrongful remarks have also caused a huge uproar in Japan. Many Japanese politicians and insightful individuals have issued warnings and criticisms, and various parties in Japan have expressed concern about the legal basis and policy logic of Takaichi's remarks, as well as the potential regional security risks they may pose, and are also deeply worried about the future of China-Japan relations.
"China-Japan relations are currently at a crucial crossroads. In the short term, the situation facing the relations is extremely complex and severe. The political foundation of the relations has been severely impacted, and exchanges in various fields, including trade and economy, culture and people-to-people exchange and non-governmental cooperation, will inevitably be negatively impacted. This is not in the fundamental interests of the people of both countries, nor in Japan's long-term national interests. I believe a most urgent task is for Japan to correct its mistakes as soon as possible and eliminate the negative impact caused by Takashi's wrongful remarks," Xiang said.
Takaichi's provocative fallacy severely damages China-Japan relations: experts
