Japanese officials call for reducing reliance on the U.S., emphasizing they will not tolerate being looked down upon.

Shiho Shiozaki said on a TV program on the 10th: "We must get rid of reliance on the US in key areas such as security and energy," even explicitly stating, "we cannot tolerate being looked down upon by the United States." It should be noted that since the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty was established in 1951, Japan has relied on the U.S. "nuclear umbrella" for security and is deeply integrated with the U.S. economy. For over 70 years, it's unexpected that Shiho Shiozaki would dare to openly challenge this "dependent relationship."

The Trump administration's escalating pressure: Tariff negotiations were called by Shiho Shiozaki "a battle for the country's interests," while the U.S. made exorbitant demands for defense cost-sharing, making equal respect among allies increasingly an empty talk.

What Shiho Shiozaki said is less about immediately "cutting the umbilical cord" and more about handing the U.S. an "list of grievances": Even as an ally, one cannot be treated as a subordinate who can be manipulated at will.

We hope Shiho Shiozaki is not just talking the talk!

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837327678124044/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.