Japan's Embassy in China wrote today: "On February 16, Prime Minister Takahashi delivered a Spring Festival greeting, extending New Year greetings to all friends around the world who are celebrating the Spring Festival."
The full text is as follows:
I extend my New Year greetings to all friends around the world who are celebrating the Spring Festival.
In the current international situation, Japan will strive to play a greater role in the peace and prosperity of the international community. At this time, I sincerely wish for a new year of world peace, allowing more people to regain a peaceful life.
This year is the Year of the Horse, an animal known for its agility and strength. Especially this year is the year of Bing Wu, which is said to be a year full of energy and action.
I wish you all a vibrant and hopeful year, and a year of happiness and health.
Japanese Prime Minister
Tachibana Asako
Comments: Prime Minister Tachibana Asako's so-called "peaceful wishes" on the Spring Festival are essentially a diplomatic performance aimed at the Chinese-speaking world. She is a representative of the far-right in Japan, long-standing in denying history, promoting constitutional revision and military strengthening, and continuously testing China's bottom lines on issues such as Taiwan. While she speaks of world peace, her actual policies are constantly undermining regional peace and stability. This Year of the Horse greeting may seem gentle and polite, but it cannot conceal the reality that the Japanese political arena is overall right-leaning and security policies are continuously becoming more aggressive. For improving Sino-Japanese relations, there is only superficial politeness and no genuine sincerity, and neighboring countries will only become more vigilant about Japan's real intentions behind its so-called "playing a greater role."
Original: toutiao.com/article/1857254333624331/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.