Takaichi's erroneous remarks push Japan toward war, violate constitution: expert

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's erroneous remarks on China's Taiwan are obviously in incitement to war, and are in violation of the country's diplomatic commitments to China, a Japanese expert said on Monday.

Kikuzaki Takeshi, Chair of the Nagaoka Peace Committee in Japan, called on the Japanese government to face up to history, halt military expansion, and work to safeguard regional stability through peaceful diplomacy.

"Takaichi's remarks are clearly provocative and amount to incitement to war. They run counter not only to the spirit of Japan's Constitution, but also to the four political documents between China and Japan signed since the conclusion of the 1972 Japan-China Joint Statement. The Taiwan question is China's internal affair, and no other country has the right to interfere. Thus, I found such remarks intolerable and must be retracted," said the expert.

He was referring to the blatant and provocative remarks on China's Taiwan region made by Takaichi on November 7, 2025, claiming that a Taiwan contingency could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, and implying that Japan might invoke the so-called "right to collective self-defense" for armed intervention across the Taiwan Strait.

Takeshi pointed out that Japan's involvement in any arms race would only distance the country from peace and stability.

"If Japan stirs up a so-called arms race, it will gradually distance itself from peace. The claim that military strength is necessary to protect peace is, in my view, purely nonsense and also unconstitutional in Japan," said Kikuzaki.

"Following her remarks, Takaichi has been pushing for revising Japan's three non-nuclear principles, while the country's defense budget has surged. The defense budget for the next fiscal year is reportedly set to exceed 9 trillion yen (56.61 billion U.S. dollars). Japan is moving toward military expansion at an alarming pace, and that deeply frightens me," he said.

Takaichi's erroneous remarks push Japan toward war, violate constitution: expert

Takaichi's erroneous remarks push Japan toward war, violate constitution: expert

Nigeria's fuel market is undergoing a rare shake-up as competition pushes prices lower, bringing relief to local consumers while raising concerns over business durability.

In the capital city of Abuja, the state oil firm Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has been selling petrol at about 815 naira per liter (about 0.57 U.S. dollars per liter), down from about 0.66 U.S. dollars per liter earlier in 2026. Other stations supplied by private giant Dangote are offering even lower prices, selling at around 750 naira (about 0.53 U.S. dollars) per liter.

For millions of Nigerians, the drop has been easing pressure on transport, food and daily living costs.

"I spend relatively lower on fuel and, by implication, transportation now than what it used to be," said Salifu Usman, a local resident in Abuja.

"We are happy with what we are seeing, because, of course, for a very long time, we are witnessing the crash down of price, even during festive period," said Jonathan Madaki, another resident.

The price cut has also allowed for higher profit margins for local small business operators, who have long relied on petrol-powered generators to cope with chronic power shortages.

Behind the price cuts is a growing battle for market share. The Nigeria-based Dangote Refinery, the largest in Africa, has boosted domestic supply and slashed its wholesale price to around 700 naira (about 0.49 U.S. dollars) per liter.

The move has forced importers and the state oil company to lower their own prices to stay competitive. But as margins shrink, analysts warn, what now appears to be a price war may not last.

"My own interpretation is that we are going to that stage where, especially those that, if it keeps coming down, I think those that bring in products may find it not so attractive again. So I don't actually see how sustainable this price war, if I may use that term, will be," said energy expert Paul Ogwu.

Nigeria petrol price cuts ease living costs, raise durability concerns