A Japanese scholar has expressed deep concerns over the Japanese political circle's right-wing shift as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi not only openly made wrongful statements but also intensified right-leaning tendencies by exaggerating war crises, significantly increasing defense spending, and pushing for revisions to the country's postwar pacifist constitution.
Hiroshi Sasaki, a professor of the Faculty of International Studies at the Niigata University of International and Information Studies, said Japan's military expansion poses a threat to neighboring countries.
"What is extremely worrying is that there are not only discussions about constitutional revisions, but also calls to re-examine the three non-nuclear principles. Some have even proposed possessing nuclear submarines. Even worse, there are comments regarding 'Should we arm ourselves with nuclear weapons?' within the core of the government," he said.
Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic bombings, has upheld three principles of not possessing, producing or permitting the introduction of nuclear arms. However, Takaichi was considering revising the third principle, which prohibits nuclear weapons from entering Japan's territory.
"The principle emphasized in Japan's constitution of 'striving for peace' has not been earnestly upheld at all. First of all, it's not about striving for peace, but discussing security issues. I think this is putting the cart before the horse," Sasaki said.
The Japanese scholar believes that Takaichi's remarks of inciting division and creating war tensions reveal her lack of political competence.
"Incompetent politicians cling to power through war, while capable leaders foster peace. Unfortunately, despite being the Prime Minister of Japan, Takaichi is seeking to maintain her authority by instigating war. Thus, I consider her to be incompetent," he said.
In face of rising prices and mounting pressure on living costs, the Japanese government, however, focuses on political games and power operations. This approach, which disregards people's livelihoods and only considers government's own political calculations, raises concerns about the future of Japanese politics.
Japanese scholar expresses deep concern over rise of right wing
Türkiye's introduction of visa-free entry for eligible Chinese citizens has ignited interest among holidaymakers in planning a visit to the Eurasian country, while Turkish airports and businesses are actively preparing to welcome more visitors from China.
Under the policy launched on January 2, Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports can enter Türkiye visa-free for tourism or transit for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
In Shanghai, a travel agency has intensified efforts to advertise Türkiye tours to visitors.
Many consumers who are planning a trip have shown increasing interest in Türkiye visit largely due to the visa-free scheme, and the tour operator reported a surge in business.
"I recently learned that Türkiye has granted visa-free travel (to eligible Chinese tourists), so I'd like to take my parents on a visit to Türkiye during holidays," said a consumer.
"Since Türkiye began granting visa-free travel (to eligible Chinese tourists), it has become very popular, with both inquiries and bookings increasing several times over. Bookings for the Spring Festival holiday season alone have tripled. Bookings are basically full during February," said Zhou Weihong, deputy general manager of Spring Tour.
Similarly, another travel agency in Shanghai said that inquiries about Turkish tour have more than doubled compared to the previous period, and group tours are basically fully booked for the upcoming Spring Festival holiday.
"Since I run my own business, I'm usually quite busy. Visa-free countries are more appealing to me because they're generally more welcoming, and Türkiye, in particular, means romance and relaxation to me," said a consumer.
"Türkiye's visa-free policy has boosted sales on many surrounding tourism routes, such as those from Greece to Türkiye or from Egypt to Türkiye," said Wang Xiuyun, head of Tongcheng Travel's Changning Road branch.
Expecting a surging number of travelers from China, Turkish businesspeople and airports have stepped up efforts to improve their Chinese language skills and services.
Grand Bazaar, one of Istanbul's most famous tourist attractions, is home to thousands of stores.
Many shop owners said they are busy learning the Chinese language as they predict that the easier entry will lead to an influx of tourists from China.
"Since more Chinese visitors are expected, we are in a hurry to study the Chinese language. We will strive to improve our Chinese proficiency to better serve travelers from China," said Salih Budak, a candy shop owner.
In addition to learning to communicating with tourists in their native language, many shop owners have considered enabling payments using a mobile device, which is more familiar to Chinese consumers.
Airports are also making preparations.
The Istanbul Airport has worked to include Chinese signs across its facilities under the "China Friendly Airport" project since 2022.
With the implementation of the visa-free policy, the airport plans to increase the number of Chinese-speaking staff to assist at key procedures such as customs clearance and baggage claim, ensuring a smooth entry process for tourists from China.
Interest in Türkiye soars among Chinese tourists after introduction of visa-free policy
