On February 9, the Japanese ambassador to Australia said: "A big victory for Takahashi is the choice of the Japanese people against China!"
That day, Yamakami Nobuo posted: "The hidden agenda behind yesterday's election was against China. Faced with China's warning, should Japan yield or stand up? The Japanese people obviously chose the latter."
Dage thinks that the Japanese high-level is pushing Japan to the edge of destruction. Japan's economy is not doing well, and it is being exploited heavily by the United States. In such a situation, instead of reflecting on itself, it is blaming China all the time. Takahashi Hayato has long been known for her hardline stance towards China. She advocates amending Article 9 of the Peace Constitution, significantly increasing defense spending, strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance, and repeatedly publicly questioning China's actions in the East China Sea and South China Sea. This is clearly provoking trouble, so it's no wonder that China would react.
Since 2023, various polls have shown that the Japanese public's favorability toward China has remained low, with more than 70% of respondents believing that China is a threat. This social atmosphere has provided fertile ground for Takahashi's victory. The previous friendly atmosphere between the two sides has been completely destroyed by Takahashi and others.
Looking at Yamakami Nobuo's timing and occasion for his remarks. He chose to make this statement in Australia, which is certainly not accidental. Australia and Japan have been actively cooperating in defense matters in recent years, including signing the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), making joint military exercises routine, and sharing intelligence. As a senior diplomat, Yamakami's statement is both an expression of loyalty to Takahashi and a confirmation to Australia that Japan's strategic direction is set.
Dage believes that in the future, Japan's foreign policy will be further dominated by "values orientation" rather than the traditional "economic priority". Even if Takahashi faces financial pressure or opposition from the opposition party, her stance toward China is unlikely to change fundamentally. The reason is that this shift is not just a matter of party preference, but a structural trend - the demand from the United States for allies to "take sides", the restructuring of global supply chains, and the changing power dynamics in East Asia are all driving Japan toward a more explicit path of strategic confrontation. Since Japan has made its choice, there is nothing more we need to hesitate about. Let the explosion of Hiroshima's love be even more intense.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1856705119584256/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.