"Takashi should step down", "He is not qualified to be the Prime Minister", "Withdraw your statements and apologize" ... On the evening of the 15th, Japanese citizens protested in front of the Prime Minister's official residence in Tokyo, holding slogans and shouting slogans, expressing strong dissatisfaction with the recent wrong words and deeds of Japanese Prime Minister Takashi Satomi, and demanding her resignation.
Recently, Takashi Saiki made erroneous remarks regarding Taiwan, disregarding legal principles and historical facts. His series of words and deeds have endangered regional stability and harmed Japan itself. Japanese politicians and public opinion criticized Takashi, saying that as Prime Minister, he dragged Japan into a "national crisis" and bore "serious responsibility".
Personal evil thoughts, right-wing delusions
On November 7th, during the deliberations of the House of Representatives Budget Committee of the Japanese Diet, Katsuya Okada, a member of the House of Representatives from the largest opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party, questioned Takashi about under what circumstances the so-called "Taiwan incident" would constitute an "existential crisis situation".
Takaichi finally replied, "If warships are used and accompanied by the exercise of military force, no matter how you look at it, this could potentially constitute a situation of existential crisis."
According to the new security law passed by the Japanese Diet in 2015, Japan can exercise the "right of collective self-defense" in the event of an "existential crisis situation".
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said that Gao Shi's remarks were almost equivalent to "If Taiwan is in trouble, Japan is in trouble." That is to say, if there is conflict in the Taiwan Strait, Japan may intervene militarily.
Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party and former Prime Minister of Japan, criticized Takashi's Taiwan-related statement at a party meeting on the 16th, saying that "the remarks crossed the line and led to a very serious situation in Japan-China relations, which was quite reckless.".
Considering Gao Shi's past words and deeds, it is not surprising to hear these words coming from her mouth.
The position that Takashi has achieved today is largely attributed to the support of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Some media have referred to Takashi as Abe's "political protégé".
Abe, the grandson of Nobusuke Kishi, a Class-A war criminal in World War II and former Prime Minister of Japan, possesses deep-rooted right-wing ideologies. He advocates breaking away from the "postwar system" and demands lifting the military constraints imposed on Japan by the Peace Constitution. During his tenure as Prime Minister, Abe actively promoted constitutional amendments and lifted the ban on "collective self-defense" through the new security laws. After stepping down as Prime Minister, he publicly declared that "if Taiwan is at risk, Japan is at risk.".
Takashi's stance on issues such as historical understanding, constitutional amendment and military expansion, and Taiwan-related policies is in line with that of Abe, and even surpasses it: he frequently visits the Yasukuni Shrine; demands the abolition of the "renunciation of war" clause in the Peace Constitution, and the transformation of the Self-Defense Forces into a "National Defense Force"; advocates a significant increase in defense spending to enable Japan to have "the ability to attack enemy bases".
On Taiwan-related issues, Gao Shi has a long history of misdeeds. In addition to repeatedly advocating that "Taiwan's affairs" could constitute an "existential crisis situation," during her visit to Taiwan as a member of parliament in April this year, she also advocated for "strengthening security cooperation between Japan and Taiwan" and forging a "quasi-alliance relationship.".
"Using Taiwan to contain China" is an unrelenting obsession of Japanese right-wingers, represented by Goshi, driven by schemes such as military expansion.
Abe had previously added the concept of "life-and-death crisis situation" to the new security laws, distorting the constitutional interpretation of previous Japanese governments. This was aimed at breaking through the restrictions of Japan's pacifist Constitution, which stipulates "the exclusive pursuit of defense," and lifting the ban on "collective self-defense rights," providing a legal basis for the Self-Defense Forces to fight overseas. In the eyes of Japanese right-wingers, the situation in the Taiwan Strait is the most likely scenario where this concept could be applied.
Experts believe that by fanning tensions in the Taiwan Strait and linking them to the so-called "existential crisis" of Japan, the Japanese right-wing is sinisterly aiming to reinforce the narrative of the "China threat" and deceive the Japanese public into supporting military deregulation and even amending Article 9 of the Peace Constitution. The Japanese Constitution implemented in 1947 is known as the "Peace Constitution" due to its Article 9, which stipulates that Japan forever renounces war as a means of settling international disputes, as well as the threat or use of force.
After taking office, the Takaichi administration has made significant moves in military expansion, including significantly increasing defense spending and achieving the goal of defense spending accounting for 2% of GDP two years ahead of schedule; initiating the revision of the "National Security Strategy" and other "three security documents"; attempting to revise the "three principles for the transfer of defense equipment" to further relax restrictions on arms exports; and hinting at the development of nuclear-powered submarines, among other things.
However, neither Abe himself nor other Japanese right-wing prime ministers dared to explicitly claim during their tenure that the situation in the Taiwan Strait could constitute an "existential crisis situation". Japan's Asahi TV commented that as the current prime minister, Takashi's statement this time "breaks precedent". Xiang Haoyu, a specially-appointed researcher at the Asia-Pacific Institute of the China Institute of International Studies, believes that Takashi's remarks exposed her nature as a right-winger, which is somewhat inevitable in the Japanese political environment where right-wing forces are increasingly gaining ground.
The legal principle is unreasonable and it is a blasphemy against history
After learning about Takichi's remarks regarding Taiwan, Professor Ryo Saigō of the University of Tokyo expressed "great surprise", arguing that the "existential crisis situation" described by Takichi lacked a legal basis and a rigorous identification process, and seemed more like a casual expression of personal opinion in the Diet.
From the perspective of Japanese domestic law, the legal basis for the so-called "life-and-death crisis situation" stems from the new security laws. The relevant definition is: "A clear and dangerous situation where a country closely related to our country is attacked by force, thereby threatening the survival of our country and fundamentally subverting the lives, freedoms, and rights to pursue happiness of our nationals."
Professor Zhao Hongwei from Hosei University in Japan pointed out that even the new security law, which aims to lift the ban on "collective self-defense rights," clearly stipulates that the so-called "critical situation of survival" can only occur when "another country" is under attack. Taiwan is not a "country," and Japan's official position does not recognize Taiwan as a "country," so this provision of the new security law does not apply to the situation in the Taiwan Strait.
Even the new security law itself faces legal disputes within Japan. In its official stance on the "relationship between the right to collective self-defense and the constitution" in 1972, the Japanese government explicitly stated that "the exercise of the so-called right to collective self-defense is not constitutionally permitted." When the Abe administration forcibly passed the law through the Diet in 2015, it was challenged as unconstitutional, sparking widespread protests.
From the perspective of international law, the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation clearly stipulate that Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, which were stolen by Japan, shall be returned to China, forming an important part of the post-war international order. When signing the instrument of surrender, Japan promised to "faithfully fulfill the obligations under the provisions of the Potsdam Proclamation." United Nations General Assembly resolution 2758 clearly states that there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.
Yoichi Masuzoe, former governor of Tokyo and an international political scholar, pointed out that international law clearly states that "Taiwan is a part of China" and "Japan's military intervention in the relevant situation will be regarded as aggression".
The One-China principle is also a commitment made by the Japanese government. The 1972 "Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration" clearly states that the Japanese government "recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China"; the Japanese government "fully understands and respects" the Chinese government's position that "Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China." In important bilateral documents issued by the two countries in 1998 and 2008, Japan has reiterated its adherence to this position.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama stated that Japan respects the position that "Taiwan is a part of China," and that the Taiwan issue
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration. Gao Shi's remarks, made in such a special year, hinting at military intervention in the Taiwan issue on the.
Kwon Ki-sik, the president of the Korea-China City Friendship Association, said that the remarks made by Gao Shi about Taiwan are a blasphemy against historical justice and a repackaging of militarism. Their true intention is to pave the way for Japan's future military expansion, and these political manipulations will inevitably face opposition from countries in the region.
Unprecedented and fraught with peril
"What is the Prime Minister doing, bringing a national crisis to the country?" asked Ichiro Ozawa, a member of the House of Representatives from Japan's Constitutional Democratic Party. According to domestic public opinion in Japan and experts and scholars from various countries, Takashi's erroneous words and deeds have sent an extremely dangerous signal, impacted regional peace and stability, and even brought calamity to Japan itself.
Firstly, it undermines regional stability. "What does the Taiwan Strait conflict have to do with you Japanese?" Hong Xiuzhu, former chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) in China, wrote on social media on the 15th. Satomi Takashima blatantly linked the Taiwan Strait conflict to Japan's "existential crisis situation," obscured the nature of cross-strait relations, fabricated military scenarios, and even hinted at Japan's possible military intervention. Such remarks are not only provocative but also push Taiwan to the brink of danger, fully exposing the lingering nature of Japanese militarism.
The Daily News of Japan, citing an anonymous senior member of the Liberal Democratic Party, reported that Takashi's remarks crossed a boundary that the previous government had never crossed before, which would lead to tension. Valery Kistanov, a Japan expert at the Russian Academy of Sciences, said in an interview that Takashi's remarks on Taiwan-related issues were "unprecedented", and his words and deeds would only exacerbate regional tension and even trigger turbulence and conflicts. Julia Roknifad, an international relations expert at Taylor's University in Malaysia, pointed out that Japan should focus on solving its own socio-economic problems, rather than becoming a destabilizing factor in East Asia.
Secondly, it will damage Sino-Japanese relations. China and Japan are important neighbors to each other, and promoting the long-term, healthy, and stable development of Sino-Japanese relations is in line with the general expectations of the peoples of both countries and the international community. On the 14th, Taku Yamada, a senator from the Japanese Communist Party, said that Takashi's remarks have exacerbated tensions in Sino-Japanese relations and traumatized bilateral mutual trust. The Japanese newspaper Tokyo Shimbun published an editorial criticizing Takashi's reckless and provocative remarks for inciting confrontation between the two countries and harming the interests of both sides.
Several Japanese politicians pointed out that the words and deeds of Takashi would greatly reduce Japan's future policy space. On the 15th, Ichiro Ozawa, a member of the House of Representatives from the Constitutional Democratic Party, issued a warning on social media that Takashi's "offensive remarks" could lead to a series of negative consequences, including damage to Japan-China relations, deterioration of national sentiment, reduction in import and export trade, and restrictions on personnel exchanges.
Thirdly, it will bring harm to Japan itself. Data shows that China is Japan's largest trading partner, second largest export destination, and largest import source. In 2024, the total trade volume between China and Japan was 308.3 billion US dollars, of which China's imports from Japan amounted to 156.25 billion US dollars. According to statistics from the Japan Tourism Agency, Chinese tourists ranked first among all nationalities in terms of total consumption in Japan in 2024. Takakage Fujita, chairman of the Japan Association for the Inheritance and Development of the Murayama Statement, said that once Sino-Japanese relations deteriorate, "it will be the Japanese people who will suffer," and that the words and deeds of Takashi Takashima carry extremely serious "culpability.".
Japanese public opinion believes that Takashi's unveiling of a series of military expansion ideas and irresponsible remarks within a month of taking office highlights a significant negative shift in his policies and sends an extremely dangerous signal. Tetsuo Saito, the leader of Japan's Komeito Party, pointed out at a party meeting that Takashi's words and deeds raise doubts about whether the Japanese government can continue to adhere to its previous basic policies on security issues.
Japanese media pointed out that the words and deeds of Takashi pose a "fundamental risk of subverting" Japan's pacifist constitution, or may lead the Japanese government to infinitely expand the scope of military use, thereby leading Japan into the abyss of war. Toru Miyamoto, a member of the House of Representatives from the Communist Party of Japan, pointed out that if Japan intervenes militarily in the so-called "Taiwan incident", it would be "jumping into war itself", and "we absolutely cannot allow Takashi to choose such a path."
