The erroneous comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on China's Taiwan region have drawn fierce backlash from academics and ordinary citizens alike, with critics accusing her of ignoring Japan's own Constitution and inflaming regional tensions.
Takaichi is under growing domestic and international pressure after suggesting Japan may respond with force if the Chinese mainland uses military means against Taiwan.
Speaking during a parliamentary session last month, she described such a scenario as a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, implying potential armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait.
Besides international reactions, her remarks have triggered sharp criticism from inside Japan, especially from Okinawa, one of the country's most militarized regions and a focal point of public concern over any armed conflict in East Asia.
Professor Masaki Tomochi, a respected scholar at the Okinawa International University who has long studied Ryukyu history and Japanese national policy, condemned Takaichi for her "reckless and unconstitutional" comments.
"The so-called 'consistent position' claimed by Takaichi and her administration simply doesn't hold up. Their current actions clearly violate the one-China principle that we have consistently upheld, as well as various bilateral agreements. There's no consistency whatsoever. Prime Minister Takaichi and her cabinet - the current Japanese government - are themselves in violation of the Constitution. Therefore, from a legal standpoint, I believe Sanae Takaichi should resign," said Tomochi.
In recent years, Japan has been steadily strengthening its military presence in the southwestern islands. For many Okinawa residents, Takaichi's remarks fuel fears that their home may once again become a battleground.
"What's unbelievable and enraging is that the Japanese government has actual evacuation plans to move residents from places like Yonaguni Island and Miyako Island to Kyushu or Yamaguchi in case of emergencies. This shows a terrifying reality. I strongly feel that they have already begun seriously considering and preparing for the dangerous idea that 'it doesn't matter if the Ryukyu Islands become a battlefield once again'," said Tomochi.
In Tomochi's view, the economies of Japan and China are deeply interconnected, and maintaining stable relations is vital to the well-being of both nations' citizens. He warns that Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks have heightened regional tensions and posed a threat to peace and stability in Asia.
"Anyone who makes or acts on such threats should not be recognized as a national leader. If Japan accepts such leadership, it is threatening our future and the safety of our children. Takaichi must as soon as possible retract her remarks, apologize, and work to improve bilateral relations.," he said.
Meanwhile, concerns over Japan's wartime history and current political trajectory were raised at a public seminar on the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, held by civil groups on Saturday, also China's National Memorial Day for the victims of the atrocity.
"The Japanese government's insistence on promoting historical revisionism has seriously damaged Japan-China relations. I believe that only by remembering history can Japan build proper relations with other Asian countries," said one attendee.
"One of Japan's major postwar failures is the lack of a national consensus on the nature of its war of aggression. That's why narratives denying Japan's history of invasion continue to exist," said Yoichi Jomaru, a former journalist with Asahi Shimbun.
Japanese prime minister's erroneous remarks on Taiwan spark outrage at home
