Japanese citizens held rallies on Thursday outside the headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the National Diet building in Tokyo, protesting Japan's weapons export policies.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, agreed at a meeting on Monday to revise the implementation guidelines of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology and lift restrictions that limit defense equipment transfers to five noncombat purposes. And they planned to submit the proposal to the cabinet in February next year.
Demonstrators chanted slogans, calling for a complete ban on arms exports, denouncing the ruling parties, and demanding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the cabinet to step down.
"I believe that Japan must never become a 'weapons merchant.' At present, there are already some companies in Japan engaged in weapons-related industries. Not only does the government fail to stop this, it is actually promoting it, attempting to revive the economy in this way. I find this extremely dangerous, and it makes me deeply dissatisfied. I want to make my opposition clear," a protester said.
Another voiced concern over Takaichi's erroneous and provocative remarks on China's Taiwan region.
"Japan has never recognized Taiwan as a country. Under the premise of respecting the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan, the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, and the Potsdam Proclamation, Japan should abide by these documents. But now the Japanese government is ignoring them. Is this a deliberate move, or that Prime Minister Takaichi simply does not understand the contents? This is deeply unsettling. It is totally disrupting the current situation and undermining Japan's position in international relations," said a demonstrator.
A third rally participant said a dangerous shift has been taking place in Japan.
"Recently, some people have started talking about 'possessing nuclear weapons.' In fact, over the past 20 to 30 years, the threshold for such discussions has been gradually lowered. The moral restraints that once hold back these debates, the [right] path Japan should follow, and its commitment to pacifism have been continuously weakened and dismantled. While the situation has worsened sharply due to Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks, this is actually the result of a trend lasting for decades. Both the lawmakers and the public lack sufficient awareness of and reflection on this ongoing trend. I am very concerned about this," another protester said.
Japanese protesters rally against arms exports in Tokyo
Japanese protesters rally against arms exports in Tokyo
Scholars from several Latin American countries have underscored the importance of the bilateral relationship between China and the United States, particularly expressing hope for cooperation in technology and climate change response.
At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump is on a state visit to China from Wednesday to Friday, marking the first visit by a U.S. president to China in nearly nine years, since President Xi hosted Trump in the Chinese capital in November 2017.
In a recent interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Cecilia Ibarra, a researcher and professor at the Faculty of Government of the University of Chile, emphasized that China and the United States both represent great hope for developing concrete and cost-effective solutions to global crises.
"Right now, China and the United States are technological and scientific powers, which is where we can find hope for concrete solutions, for solutions that will be cost-effective. Therefore, given the urgency, all possible alliances, all wisdom, funds, innovation, and intelligence need to be made available and coordinated by those who ultimately have the power and legitimacy to convene these solutions," she said.
Without collaboration between the two countries, it will be difficult to address climate change, said Cristóbal de la Maza, director of the Center for Economics for Sustainable Development at San Sebastián University in Chile.
"If the two countries reduce their collaboration, we are in a position where there is no progress. China has built a renewable energy, battery, and low-carbon technology industry. The United States, on the other hand, has resisted this and has strengthened its oil industry over time. For powers like China and the United States, making progress in reducing their dependence on fossil fuels is key and part of their global leadership strategy," he said.
Juan Carlos Gachúz Maya, a researcher at Mexico's University of the Americas Puebla, praised Beijing's strategy in the face of trade pressure, saying that its stance paves the way for a possible rapprochement.
"The Chinese government has taken a somewhat correct stance within this complicated situation of trade tensions and the trade war with the United States, and I believe that, eventually, bilateral negotiations could yield concrete results," he said.
Gachúz, also a member of the National System of Researchers, highlighted the major issues on the agenda and the areas where there may be room for cooperation.
"We hope that scientific, technological, and academic cooperation can also be a relevant point for dialogue between both countries, and that these restrictions can eventually be nuanced or renegotiated on other terms," he added.
Rasel Tomé, former vice president of the National Congress of Honduras, emphasized that cooperation between the two sides in science and technology benefits all humanity.
"Beijing and Washington must maintain a fundamental link to ensure that competition does not lead to a disconnect that affects the international system and global access to knowledge. We believe this is a great step, and that multilateral solutions should always be the path forward. They must be attentive to climate change, the food security situation, and public health issues, and the major powers must always maintain these multilateral relationships," he said.
Latin American scholars stress importance of China-U.S. cooperation on climate, technology
