Japanese rally, urging Takaichi to retract erroneous remarks regarding China's Taiwan

A group of Japanese residents gathered in front of the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo on Monday evening, demanding that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi retract her recent erroneous remarks regarding China's Taiwan region.

These protesters held placards, calling for Takaichi to withdraw the wrong remarks and stop inciting war.

"Does Sanae Takaichi really not know about the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship and the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement? Or does she simply not understand, or is she deliberately ignoring it despite being aware, as a leader of a country? What she is doing is inciting war," said a protester.

"I think [Takaichi’s erroneous remarks] were deliberately made. She wants to create tensions. It has been over one month since she made the remarks on November 7. Honestly, it’s time to retract the remarks," said another protester.

Protesters also questioned the Japanese politicians about their attitudes regarding Takaichi’s remarks, which have led to the current situation.

"I don't need a prime minister who would lead Japan to war. Why don't those politicians stand up to urge a withdrawal of the remarks? It is exactly because of that statement that has led to the current situation," said a protester.

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 drawn strong criticism at home and abroad. Takaichi later insisted that her remarks were in line with the government's long-standing view and refused to retract the remarks.

Her remarks, seen as a break from Japan's long-standing post-war restraint, drew mounting criticism. Politicians across party lines, scholars, civic groups and multiple opposition lawmakers warned that her remarks risked heightening regional tensions.

Hong Kong's stock market ended lower Tuesday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index down 1.54 percent to close at 25,235.41 points.

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index lost 1.79 percent to end at 8,757.93 points, and the Hang Seng Tech Index fell 1.74 percent to end at 5,402.51 points.