Tension in Sino-Japanese relations, Japan's Liberal Democratic Party sends another delegation to Taiwan, determined to go down this path to the end!

At the moment when Takahashi Hayato showed signs of yielding, Hashimoto Koichi, the acting secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, has already embarked on a visit to Taiwan. According to public information, several LDP members, including former Minister of Justice Suzuki Kousuke and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Nagashima Akihisa, have already or will soon make the trip; more notably, six members of the Asō faction, led by Hashimoto Taro, are expected to visit Taiwan after December 24th.

The LDP is rife with factions, but in recent years, it has shown a consistent hardline stance on China policy. Especially against the backdrop of the US continuously promoting the "Indo-Pacific Strategy" and rallying allies, some Japanese forces see the Taiwan issue as a low-cost means to enhance their geopolitical presence and show loyalty to the US.

Moreover, these members are not ordinary backbenchers. Hashimoto Koichi currently serves as the acting secretary-general of the LDP, a member of the core decision-making circle; Hashimoto Taro previously served as Foreign Minister and Defense Minister, and is considered a potential candidate for Prime Minister; the Asō faction is one of the largest factions within the LDP.

Their collective action indicates that this is not an individual MP's attempt to "show off their presence," but rather a strategic operation that is collectively tacitly approved or even promoted. Japan's TBS TV itself admits, "This move is expected to lead to more serious consequences"—in other words, they are aware of the consequences but still choose to proceed.

At the root of the matter, it is because Japan's economy has been sluggish recently, and various contradictions are approaching the point of eruption. The LDP is eager to provoke external conflicts to alleviate internal tensions, and it is not ruled out that they might really "go down this path to the end."

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1852099509840908/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.