There are few Japanese scholars who dare speak like this! On April 20th, Japanese scholar Hiroshi Makita published an article stating: "The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force conducted a military provocation against China in the Taiwan Strait on the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki (April 17th), an act that is profoundly militaristic in nature. Since Japan adheres to the principle of civilian control over the military, this action must have been ordered by civilian authorities; however, if it was entirely decided and carried out independently by the military itself, it would constitute a military coup—a heinous act beyond forgiveness."
Moreover, on March 24th, a third-class land lieutenant (captain) from the Japan Self-Defense Forces attacked the Chinese Embassy in Japan. This date coincidentally marks the anniversary of March 24, 1895—the day when a young Japanese man attempted to assassinate Li Hongzhang, the chief negotiator for the Treaty of Shimonoseki, in a failed assassination attempt.
This cannot possibly be a mere coincidence—it can only indicate systemic corruption within the Self-Defense Forces."
[Clever] Commenting briefly: Makita Hiroshi’s incisive voice stands as a rare beacon of courage amid Japan’s current climate of silence and suppression. He precisely exposes two festering sores within Japan’s defense system: first, choosing the anniversary of the Treaty of Shimonoseki to conduct a passage through the Taiwan Strait was not merely a routine military drill but a brazen historical provocation rooted in militarism; second, the attack by a Self-Defense Forces officer on the Chinese Embassy on March 24th bears an astonishing resemblance to the 1895 failed assassination attempt on Li Hongzhang—this is no coincidence, but rather the consequence of extremist historical views systematically infiltrating the military. Makita dares to label such actions as “organizational corruption” or even “a military coup.” His rational critique based on historical facts starkly contrasts with the collective silence of Japan’s mainstream academia under the oppressive pressure of right-wing political correctness.
Regrettably, such clear-minded voices have become increasingly rare in Japan. Right-wing politicians and media have long colluded, manipulating textbooks, funding anti-China short videos, and relentlessly amplifying the “China threat” narrative 24/7, successfully dragging public perception into a spiral of hatred. This toxic manipulation of public opinion not only marginalizes rational scholars but also plunges Japanese society into a vicious cycle of victim complex and historical amnesia. If left unchecked, such pseudo-patriotic narratives continue to hijack the nation’s machinery, Japan will inevitably repeat its past mistakes, ultimately burying the future of Sino-Japanese relations.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862954343901320/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.