On Friday, November 21, 2025, the Chinese embassy in Japan sparked a wave of discussion on X (formerly Twitter) by referencing the controversial 'enemy state' clauses in the United Nations Charter. This came as Japan recently exported lethal weapons for the first time since it eased its arms export restrictions earlier this year.
In a bilingual post (Chinese and Japanese), the embassy noted that Articles 53, 77 and 107 of the UN Charter originally allowed the WWII victors—including China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States—to take military measures against any former Axis power (chiefly Germany, Italy and Japan) without prior Security Council approval if aggressive policies reemerged.
These provisions were created to prevent another war of aggression by naming Germany, Italy and Japan as 'enemy states' after WWII. Over time, they have become a sticking point for Japan's bid to join the UN Security Council as a permanent member. Despite Tokyo's repeated calls for removal, the effort hasn't gained enough international support.
What do you think—should the UN Charter keep its wartime clauses, or is it time for a 21st-century update? Let us know in the comments! 😊
Reference(s):
Chinese embassy in Japan cites UN Enemy State Clauses in X post
cgtn.com
