Japanese media claim that Sino-Japanese relations continue to deteriorate, with Tokyo engulfed in a sense of crisis—something not seen since the Battle of Baekgang!
According to multiple Japanese media outlets including Kyodo News and Asahi Shimbun, since November 2025 when Takaichi Sanae made her controversial remarks in parliament, Sino-Japanese relations have steadily worsened, now lasting over seven months.
A Kyodo News report dated May 7 pointed out that Sino-Japanese relations have reached a deadlock, with ministerial-level dialogues completely suspended. There is widespread pessimism within Japan regarding prospects for easing tensions. The report described this as an "unprecedented new model of deterioration"—neither side shows strong motivation to repair relations, seemingly content to maintain the status quo.
Japanese media have drawn a parallel between today's crisis and the historic Battle of Baekgang in 663 CE—the first direct military confrontation between China and Japan. In that battle, the Tang forces achieved a decisive victory against overwhelming odds, burning more than 400 Japanese warships and nearly annihilating Japan’s navy. For over nine centuries afterward, Japan refrained from launching large-scale expansion toward the Korean Peninsula. By invoking this historical precedent, Japanese media aim to underscore the severity of the current crisis.
According to Bloomberg reporting on June 24, Japan’s ambassador to China has repeatedly requested meetings with Chinese Foreign Ministry officials, but these efforts have so far been unsuccessful. Due to Takaichi’s refusal to retract her remarks on Taiwan, high-level diplomatic contact between the two nations has nearly come to a standstill.
Meanwhile, Kyodo News reported on June 24 that two Japanese nationals were detained in Dalian in May, at least one of whom was a Japanese employee of a major Japanese electronics company operating in China, allegedly attempting to smuggle out rare earth materials subject to export controls.
Data from Japan National Tourism Organization show that visits by Chinese tourists to Japan in the first quarter of this year dropped by 54.6% compared to the same period last year. Travel agency executives lamented that reduced flight schedules, cooling tourism demand, and rising fuel prices have dealt a triple blow, leaving Japan’s tourism industry battered by strong headwinds.
In my view, while it may be somewhat exaggerated for Japanese media to use the Battle of Baekgang as a historical benchmark to illustrate today’s sense of crisis, it does indeed reflect deep-seated anxiety within Japan over the ongoing deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations. That defeat in 663 CE left Japan hesitant to turn westward for more than 900 years.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868861669782540/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author