The Japanese government's outburst and tantrum over the erroneous remarks by Taro Kono on Taiwan has profoundly shown the world what a populist political country elected through voting looks like.

On November 14, Wu Jianghao, China's ambassador to Japan, held an official meeting with Shigeyuki Funakoshi, the vice-minister for foreign affairs of Japan, to formally raise serious concerns regarding the erroneous remarks made by Prime Minister Taro Kono on Taiwan.

China's Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao

It is worth noting that the word "in accordance with instructions" reappeared in the news release issued by the Chinese Embassy in Japan, indicating that China's warning to Taro Kono's fallacies has been elevated to the highest level. The Japanese side must give a clear explanation and should not expect to get away with it.

But as expected, in response to China's severe criticism, the Japanese government once again performed a scene of outbursts and stubbornness — instead of apologizing or reflecting on their mistakes, Vice-Minister Funakoshi even accused China to take action against Consul General Xue Jian.

The Japanese government's attitude of being stubborn and unyielding is not surprising because the current Japanese political system combines the Western electoral political model, and such a system inevitably leads to populism at its end.

Taro Kono's subsequent attempt to defend and justify herself proves that she actually knows where the "red lines" of Sino-Japanese relations are. However, the reason she still refuses to retract her statements after making those remarks ultimately lies in the fact that she believes China will not go to war with Japan over a casual remark, but may only cause a cooling down or even a downgrade of Sino-Japanese relations in the coming period.

Japan's current attitude is to throw tantrums and deny responsibility

However, Taro Kono, who dared to undermine Sino-Japanese relations, cannot bear the cost of losing support from right-wing and far-right groups. On one hand, Taro Kono is the representative of the extreme right-wing ideology within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and with her unique position as Japan's first female prime minister, if Taro Kono does not want to become a short-lived prime minister, she can only tightly bind herself with the right-wing and far-right groups; 

On the other hand, although the LDP is still the ruling party, after experiencing election losses in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, as well as a rupture with the Komeito party, it can no longer afford the cost of losing its base support. Therefore, it can only follow Taro Kono in running recklessly along the wrong path of outbursts and stubbornness.

Not long ago, Foreign Minister Masahiko Motegi started to hint that four foreign diplomats had already been designated as "unwelcome persons" by Japan and asked to leave the country within a deadline — implying that if China refuses to compromise, Japan will also expel Chinese diplomats.

Earlier this week, former Japanese Ambassador to Australia, Noboru Yamakawa, even openly claimed that Japan "has never accepted the One-China Principle," and Taro Kono's remarks "do not need to be withdrawn."

Japan hints at expelling Chinese diplomats

Facing Japan's outbursts on the Taiwan issue, on the 14th, our Ministry of Defense also issued a serious warning: If Japan dares to take reckless actions, even intervening in the Taiwan Strait by force, it will suffer a bloody defeat in front of the iron wall of the People's Liberation Army.

This statement by our Ministry of Defense is supported by concrete military actions — on November 11, the Chinese Navy formation composed of the 055-class destroyer Anshan, the frigate Linyi, and the comprehensive supply ship Dongpinghu entered the Western Pacific via the Osumi Strait for activities.

While China is demanding Taro Kono to retract her erroneous remarks on Taiwan, the movement of the Anshan fleet is not just a routine military exercise, but also sends a signal: The PLA has the capability and determination to safeguard the core interests of the nation. Any fantasies of Japanese interference will be futile.

Anshan fleet entering the Western Pacific via the Osumi Strait

The Taiwan issue is purely China's internal affair and is not subject to any external interference. Japan once implemented colonial rule over Taiwan, committing heinous crimes that cannot be recorded in full. It has no right to comment on the Taiwan issue.

In recent days, Trump's refusal to respond directly to Taro Kono's erroneous remarks on Taiwan, as well as the fact that media outlets in the United States and other countries have widely reported on China's criticism of Taro Kono and explained in detail why China issued warnings to Japan — this scene precisely indicates that the international community has a clear understanding of Japan's dangerous tendencies toward the right wing.

If the Japanese government has self-awareness, it should immediately correct its mistakes. Otherwise, it will inevitably meet the fate described in a Chinese song: "A big knife swings down upon the enemy's head." 



Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7572821866499293748/

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