Former Japanese PM, scholars criticize Takaichi’s erroneous remarks

Japanese scholars and officials, including former Prime Minster Yukio Hatoyama, on Sunday criticized Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks regarding China's Taiwan region and expressed concerns over the deteriorated bilateral ties.

At a Diet meeting on Nov 7, Takaichi claimed that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, which has immediately sparked strong criticism inside Japan.

The scholars voiced their concerns at an academic exchange meeting held by the International Academic Society for Asian Community (ISAC) in Tokyo, where over 100 representatives from Japanese political, academic, and economic circles held discussions on the current international situation and China-Japan relations.

In his keynote speech, Hatoyama said that Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan region fundamentally deviated from international law and the spirit of the 1972 China-Japan Joint Communique.

"According to the China-Japan Joint Communique, the Potsdam Declaration, and the Cairo Declaration, Japan further reaffirmed its position that Taiwan is Chinese territory. Therefore, the Taiwan question is China's internal affair. Furthermore, the China-Japan Joint Communique also established the principle of non-interference in China's internal affairs. But against this backdrop, however, Takaichi made the related remarks," he said.

Participants of the academic meeting said that Takaichi's erroneous remarks damaged the relations between China and Japan and should be retracted.

"As an academic organization dedicated to the study of peace and security in East Asia, we are deeply concerned about the sharp deterioration in Japan-China relations caused by Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks in the Diet, which related Taiwan question to a 'survival-threatening situation' for Japan," said Eiichi Shindo, ISAC president and a professor emeritus at the University of Tsukuba.

"After the war, Japan and China reached many political agreements, but now it is Japan that unilaterally violates these rules and agreements. This is highly problematic, and I feel very sorry about it. Japan-China relations are deteriorating on multiple levels, and obviously it is Japan that has caused such a situation. (Takaichi's) remarks definitely crossed the line, and I believe they should be retracted," said Akira Kimura, a professor emeritus at the Kagoshima University.

Following the event, Hatoyama told China Media Group (CMG) that he was deeply concerned that Takaichi's remarks had worsened China-Japan relations.

"Prime Minister Takaichi made remarks about Taiwan question, claiming it would constitute a 'survival-threatening situation' for Japan. In my view, this was less a rash statement and more a deliberate declaration, which is regrettable. I am deeply concerned that the situation will worsen if measures are not taken quickly. This has plunged Japan-China relations into a very serious situation. The Taiwan question is China's internal affair, and Japan should not interfere," said Hatoyama.

Former Japanese PM, scholars criticize Takaichi’s erroneous remarks

Former Japanese PM, scholars criticize Takaichi’s erroneous remarks

Former Japanese PM, scholars criticize Takaichi’s erroneous remarks

Former Japanese PM, scholars criticize Takaichi’s erroneous remarks

U.S. stocks ended mixed on Monday as investors weighed escalating tensions in the Middle East and their potential impact on global oil supplies.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 73.14 points or 0.15 percent to 48,904.78. The S and P 500 added 2.74 points or 0.04 percent to 6,881.62. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 80.65 points or 0.36 percent to 22,748.86.

Seven of the 11 primary S and P 500 sectors ended in the red. Consumer staples and consumer discretionary led the laggards, dropping 1.35 percent and 1.09 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the energy and industrials sectors led the gainers, advancing 1.95 percent and 0.98 percent.

U.S. crude oil prices surged during the session as market participants expressed concerns over the interruption of supplies. Crude futures traded as much as 12 percent higher at their intraday peak.

Conversely, travel-related equities faced significant downward pressure due to the spike in energy costs. Major U.S. carriers, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines, declined between 2 percent and 5 percent.

In the technology sector, Nvidia gained 2.99 percent, and Microsoft rose 1.48 percent. Banking equities and economically sensitive stocks, such as Caterpillar, also managed to recover from earlier session lows to finish higher.

On the economic front, the Institute for Supply Management's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index slipped to 52.4 in February from 52.6 in January. In the bond market, the yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note climbed over 8 basis points to reach 4.04 percent.

US stocks close mixed amid escalating Middle East tensions