This month, experts have raised alarms over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on the Taiwan region. They warn these comments risk reviving dangerous militarist ideas in Japan—and could shake up peace in East Asia 🌏😨.
According to Meng Mingming, assistant researcher at the Institute of Japanese Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Takaichi’s repeated use of the term 'survival-threatening situation' echoes wartime rhetoric. 'Japan’s militarists used this phrase in World War II to rally support for expansionist wars,' says Meng. 'Eighty years later, reusing this logic could loosen constitutional restraints and speed up rearmament.'
From an international law viewpoint, Meng points out, as a defeated nation, Japan isn’t in a position to make bold claims on the Taiwan question. The Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation clearly stated that territories seized from China—like Taiwan—must be returned to China. Four political documents between China and Japan have since reaffirmed this stance.
Global watchers are worried, too. A recent commentary in South Africa’s Business Day noted Japan’s shift—relaxed weapons export rules and higher defense budgets—challenges the post-war order and signals a return to militarism 🔍📈.
Experts also link Takaichi’s comments to her history of supporting textbook revisions that downplay wartime aggression and glorify patriotism. This trend, they say, risks distorting public understanding of history and inflaming regional tensions.
As tensions simmer in the Taiwan Strait, analysts warn that these remarks reflect deeper political shifts in Japan and underscore the need for sober reflection on history to keep peace alive in East Asia 🤝✨.
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Experts caution against militarism revival in Takaichi's remarks
cgtn.com
