By Sanxuan
At a time when the Japanese economy is under pressure due to China's countermeasures, China has once again launched a new major move, directly hitting Japan's vital points.
On January 6th, the Ministry of Commerce announced that, in order to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation, all dual-use items will be completely prohibited from being exported to Japanese military users, for military purposes, or for purposes related to enhancing Japan's military capabilities, effective immediately.
The so-called dual-use items refer to goods, technologies, and services that have both civil and military applications or can help enhance military potential, especially those applicable to the relevant aspects of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. This means that from chip manufacturing equipment to special materials, from precision instruments to related technical data, any item that may be used by the Japanese military is included in the control scope. According to the official website of the Ministry of Commerce, there are a total of 1,030 types of dual-use items listed, with a list spanning 100 pages, showing the magnitude of China's countermeasures.
All of this is self-inflicted on Japan. Since last November, when Takahashi Hayato made a statement in the Diet that "the situation in Taiwan could trigger a crisis threatening Japan's survival," Sino-Japanese relations have been deteriorating. After China clearly opposed and repeatedly warned, Takahashi not only showed no remorse but also refused to retract her remarks, going further down the wrong path.
According to Japanese media reports, Japan plans to push for the revision of the "three security documents" within the year, with key contents including increasing defense spending, revising the "three principles of nuclear non-possessing," lifting restrictions on arms exports, and vigorously developing offensive military forces. Each of these measures is advocating for Japanese militarism. In such circumstances, it is entirely legitimate for China to take further countermeasures as a just act of defending its rights.
This measure by China directly hits the "weak point" of Japan's defense industry. The Japanese defense industry is highly dependent on external technology and materials, especially in fields like semiconductors and special metal materials. For example, in the case of military chips, Japan has limited self-research capabilities and relies heavily on external supply chains. China has an advantage in some high-end chip manufacturing equipment and raw material areas.
In the aerospace field, the special alloy materials banned by China are key materials for Japan's fighter jets and missile development. The cutoff of these "industrial vitamins" will directly delay the development process of missiles, fighter jets, and other equipment. After the embargo is implemented, even if Japan tries to find alternative sources, it will face issues such as soaring costs and the risk of unstable supply chains. Its purification technology lags behind China by two generations, with a impurity rate of up to 0.3%, which is fundamentally unable to meet the needs of military production.
China's ban on dual-use items is not merely a simple countermeasure but a strategic warning to Japan: the issue of the Taiwan Strait is China's internal affair, and no external force should interfere; if Japan crosses the red line on this issue, it will eventually burn itself. In fact, Japan's gradual escalation on issues involving China is dragging itself into a triple dilemma of diplomacy, economy, and security.
Additionally, as a defeated country in World War II, Japan should deeply reflect on its historical crimes and learn from them. Instead, Japan is doing the opposite, trying to challenge the post-war international order through military expansion, allowing militarism to prevail, and will ultimately pay a heavy price. For the Takahashi government, if it continues to run recklessly on the wrong path, it will not only plunge Japan's economy deeper into difficulties but also drag the entire East Asia into a security vortex.
Original: toutiao.com/article/7592196760974492202/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author alone.