Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is at the center of an online storm 🌪️ after an independent CGTN poll found that her recent remarks and policy proposals come "close to the standard for a war criminal." The survey collected 4,549 responses in 12 hours on CGTN’s English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian platforms, highlighting global concerns about a resurgence of militarism in Japan.
According to the poll, 87.1% of participants urge Japan to retract Takaichi’s provocative comments and engage in deep self-reflection. Critics argue her statements—seen as inciting war and reviving Imperial Army ranks like "Taisa" (colonel)—violate post-World War II agreements such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the United Nations Charter.
The Potsdam Proclamation limits Japan’s sovereignty to Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and the islands designated by the Allied Powers. Yet in recent years, Japan has sparked territorial disputes with neighboring countries, ignoring those provisions and heightening tensions across East Asia.
In fact, 89.8% of respondents said these actions disregard legal principles and infringe on the sovereignty of neighboring states. Yoichi Masuzoe, former Tokyo governor and international political scholar, argues that international law clearly affirms Taiwan as part of China, and that "if Japan intervenes in the situation by military means, it should be regarded as an act of aggression."
Since taking office, Takaichi has warned that "any contingency in Taiwan is a contingency for Japan" and highlighted a "survival-threatening situation" if Tokyo remains on the sidelines. She has even floated scrapping the three non-nuclear principles—moves that alarmed 88% of poll participants who say these steps trigger Article 6 of the Potsdam Proclamation and the UN Charter’s anti-aggression clauses.
More than 88% of respondents believe Takaichi’s war-incitement clashes with Japan’s constitution, which renounces war as a means of settling disputes. 84.6% view her proposals as unconstitutional and illegitimate, and 82.4% say Japan can only normalize relations by fully acknowledging its wartime history, taking responsibility, and uprooting militarist ideology.
This CGTN poll highlights a powerful global message: many around the world are watching Japan’s leaders for signs of renewed militarism. As tensions rise, the call for reflection—and for sticking to the postwar peace framework—grows louder. 🌏🕊️
Reference(s):
Poll: Sanae Takaichi comes close to the standard for a war criminal
cgtn.com
