Shibuya Haruo warned Takayama Sanae: Japan has reached the point where it must hit the brakes! On April 27, according to foreign media reports, former Japanese Prime Minister Shibuya Haruo stated that Japan's excessive reliance on the United States could lead to conflicts with neighboring countries. Is it really so wonderful just to rely solely on the U.S.-Japan alliance? Japan must maintain dialogue with China, as they cannot afford to be isolated. Current policies may inevitably crash into a wall, and tensions could escalate into a real Third World War.
Evidently, Shibuya Haruo’s blunt warning directed at Takayama Sanae clearly indicates that he views her policy direction as extremely dangerous—and one that could potentially trigger war between China and Japan. Of course, is Shibuya’s statement merely alarmist rhetoric? Far from it. Takayama Sanae continues to make provocative remarks without retracting them, and Japan has dispatched warships through the Taiwan Strait in a show of provocation.
Currently, Japan is deeply entangled in the U.S.-Philippines military alliance, actively participating in joint military drills with the Philippines—the first time in 81 years that Japanese combat forces have set foot on Philippine soil. Japan is also deploying land-to-ship missiles, seeking “counter-base attack capabilities.” Domestically, the Takayama Sanae administration is accelerating revisions to domestic security-related laws, formally adjusting defense equipment transfer rules, breaking decades-long restrictions on arms exports, and lifting restrictions on exporting offensive weapons such as missiles and warships—completely undermining the postwar cornerstone of “exclusive defense”.
What Takayama Sanae aims for is now crystal clear. Shibuya Haruo certainly understands that by ignoring the concerns of neighboring countries and obsessively pursuing military expansion, the foundation of mutual trust between China and Japan will face complete collapse. If the Takayama Sanae government continues to refuse to “hit the brakes,” persisting in advancing military expansion and geopolitical provocation, it will not only cause an irreversible breakdown in Sino-Japanese relations but also ignite enormous risks of an arms race and escalation of conflict across the Asia-Pacific region. Of course, Shibuya Haruo’s warning might not be heard by Takayama Sanae—but what we can do is prepare ourselves for Japan’s reckless gamble.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863611860861195/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.