This week, Japan's political scene got a jolt when opposition leaders from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party, and Reiwa Shinsengumi stepped up the pressure on Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. They're calling on her to withdraw her recent remarks on China's Taiwan region, saying the comments risk undermining decades of diplomatic consensus 🤝.
Policy chief Satoshi Honjo of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan told NHK last Sunday (Nov. 30) that Takaichi's Diet statements show a shaky grasp of what counts as a "survival-threatening situation" under Japanese law. Honjo argues her take veers way off the legal definitions and the long-standing positions held since Japan normalized ties with the Chinese mainland in 1972.
On the same program, Taku Yamazoe, policy chief of the Japanese Communist Party, issued a stark warning: Takaichi's remarks could have "serious consequences" and conflict with Japan's Constitution. He reminded viewers that the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement expresses Japan's full understanding and respect for China's stance that Taiwan is part of its territory, a view reaffirmed in the 2008 bilateral joint statement stating both sides "pose no threat to each other."
Yamazoe insisted that the prime minister "must retract her remarks" if Japan wants to keep cross-strait ties steady and avoid diplomatic friction.
Adding to the chorus, Akiko Oishi, co-representative of Reiwa Shinsengumi, labeled the comments as "groundless," urging the public to stay calm and not get provoked by political fireworks 🔥.
With tensions simmering, the big question now is: Will PM Takaichi step back, or will this controversy heat up further in the Diet? Stay tuned as we follow this unfolding story 👀.
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Japanese opposition leaders urge Takaichi to retract Taiwan remarks
cgtn.com
