Protesters in Kyoto in western Japan rallied on Wednesday to denounce recent remarks from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding China's Taiwan Region, criticizing her rhetoric as provocative and dangerous.
The demonstrators gathered in front of Kyoto City Hall, holding banners with slogans such as "Don't use Taiwan as an excuse to provoke war", and demanding that Takaichi immediately retract her statements.
"This time, Sanae Takaichi has made extremely dangerous remarks about military intervention under the pretext of the so-called 'Taiwan contingency.' We demand that she immediately retract these statements. Currently, the massive military budget is squeezing funding for people's livelihoods, welfare, healthcare, and education. Under the pretext of responding to so-called 'existential crisis situations,' Japan has strengthened the construction of ammunition depots and port bases, operates U.S. military radar systems, and deploys 'Tomahawk' missiles. Furthermore, the prime minister has made the promotion of the military industry to drive economic growth a core part of the comprehensive economic measures. The contradiction between military expansion and the actual needs of people's livelihoods has become extremely severe. Sanae Takaichi's deliberate incitement of this sense of urgency in war preparations itself increases the risk of conflict. We demand that she immediately retract her remarks," a demonstrator said in a speech at the rally.
"Although the Japanese government's official position is following the 'one-China' policy, this time Sanae Takaichi specifically mentioned the name of Taiwan and stated that scenarios such as a maritime blockade would be equivalent to a so-called 'contingency.' In such cases, military actions are also being considered. However, Japan is a country bound by Article 9 of its Constitution and should not engage in such actions in the first place. Therefore, we emphasize today that Sanae Takaichi's remarks must be retracted immediately -- such a situation must never be allowed to occur," said another demonstrator.
Another protester stressed, "The erroneous remarks about the 'Taiwan contingency' must be withdrawn immediately. Such irresponsible and reckless warmongering rhetoric by Sanae Takaichi is deeply worrying. We truly wish to coexist in a friendly way with China. Japan should reflect more sincerely on its wartime history. We hope schools will educate the next generation properly and teach them clearly what happened during the war, what Japan did to China and other Asian countries, and then move toward the future."
"I certainly believe Takaichi should retract her wrong statements. For the citizens, these are absolutely unacceptable remarks from a prime minister. I consider them unconstitutional," said another protester.
Another added, "I think Takaichi's comments should be taken back. If Japan seeks peace, such tension-inciting statements are truly alarming."
In addition to her comments on Taiwan, Takaichi has also floated the idea of revising Japan's Three Non-Nuclear Principles, an idea which protesters at the rally rejected.
"Japan has the Three Non-Nuclear Principles -- 'not to possess, not to produce, and not to permit the introduction of nuclear weapons' -- as a national policy upheld by all its people. My father was also a victim of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. As a family member of a victim, we must never allow the Three Non-Nuclear Principles to be undermined in such a destructive way. From the perspective of Article 9 of the pacifist postwar constitution, this is also unconstitutional," said a rally participant.
Citizens in Kyoto protest PM's remarks on China's Taiwan Region
Citizens in Kyoto protest PM's remarks on China's Taiwan Region
