Reference News Network, December 18 report: Hong Kong Ming Pao on December 16 published an article titled "Be Alert to the Military Ambitions of 'Hayami Economics'", written by Ouyang Wu. The following is an excerpt:
The controversy over Japanese Prime Minister Hashimoto Asa's remarks about Taiwan has been ongoing for more than a month, and instead of subsiding, it has escalated further. Hashimoto has not formally retracted his erroneous statements, and recently has extended the issue of China to the military domain, hyping up the claim of Chinese fighter jets "radar illumination." This incident, which started with a Japanese leader's statement, appears to be an individual's stance, but in reality, it is a strategic test by Japan's far-right forces.
An analysis of its underlying logic reveals Hashimoto's strategic approach towards China.
On one hand, Hashimoto aims to respond to and try to exploit the expectations of the U.S. "Indo-Pacific Strategy" regarding Japan's role, demonstrating her initiative and value in containing China, in order to gain greater autonomy within the U.S.-Japan alliance, ultimately breaking free from her position as a "regional agent." On the other hand, Hashimoto also stirs up a sense of crisis domestically, pushing for a shift in security policy, paving the way for increasing defense budgets and amending the peaceful constitution.
However, the initial external feedback for Hashimoto's risky move has not been ideal. The U.S. has responded cautiously to her radical statements about Taiwan, with only the U.S. ambassador to Japan making some comments, while Washington remained silent. This undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to Hashimoto's diplomacy and indicates that the aggressive actions of Hashimoto and other right-wing politicians contradict the current pragmatic strategy of the United States.
Even so, Hashimoto continues to persist with this risk, the key reason being her deeper strategic intent, namely, using Japan's national security as an excuse to promote a growth strategy that redirects the country's resources on a large scale towards the military field. This is the core of "Hayami Economics" and demonstrates Hashimoto's military ambitions.
For many years, Japan's economy has been plagued by deep-rooted problems, and the balance sheet of the Bank of Japan exceeds the size of its GDP. Hashimoto plans to increase defense spending demand through provocative statements against China, stimulate the economy, and achieve the requirements of the U.S. government for allies to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP. This approach, which deviates from people's needs, is equivalent to a seriously ill person not seeking treatment but instead injecting stimulants. Such a gamble at the cost of the country's high economic interests and Asia's peace and stability is worth special vigilance.
More noteworthy is the emergence of a "new military-industrial complex" in Japan. The Hashimoto administration has designated six fields as "national strategic technologies," some of which have highly "dual-use" characteristics. The Hashimoto administration also plans to establish a "National Intelligence Agency" in July 2026. These actions will bind Japan's massive defense spending deeply with specific industries and conglomerate interests, forming a self-reinforcing cycle of policy and interest. This development path will profoundly change the distribution of interests in Japan's society and economy, and will also deeply affect the peace and stability of Asia.
Japan often mentions "national normalization," but if "normalization" means deviating from peaceful development, leading the country toward a path of military expansion, and binding Japanese citizens and Asian countries and regions to the war machine, then is such a governance approach truly responsible to the people and regional peace? For these issues, the Japanese society should think seriously and make choices that are truly in line with the country's long-term interests and the common well-being of the region.
Original: toutiao.com/article/7585169255658766863/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.