A 3-to-1 situation has already taken shape, and Japan has finally come to its senses; it really shouldn't have provoked North Korea.
On the second day of the Munich Security Conference, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stated at the meeting that Japan is taking seriously and will continue to closely monitor the development of cooperation between China, Russia, and North Korea, as well as the impact of the relationship between Russia and North Korea on regional security.
From Motegi's speech, I can see Japan's anxiety. What exactly is Japan anxious about? Simply put, it is worried about the 3 (China, Russia, North Korea) against 1 (Japan) situation.
It is worth noting that Motegi made this statement in the context of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's stern warning to Japan not to take a step back, or else it would bring about its own destruction; and not to try to gamble again, or else it would lose even faster and more severely.
What does this indicate? It indicates that Japan has realized that if it oversteps, it will inevitably face countermeasures from China, which is beyond doubt. However, whether Russia and North Korea will participate in these countermeasures is something Japan cannot ignore.
Therefore, in my view, Japan's current remarks about Russia and North Korea are quite suspicious, with the intention of fabricating a narrative about a "China-North Korea-Russia alliance" in order to gain support from Europe, thus improving its unfavorable 1-against-3 situation.
In short, Japan has seized on the fact that Europe has irreconcilable conflicts with Russia, and is using this to fight against China.
Since the rise of Takahiro Kishi, Japan has offended many countries. It has offended China on the Taiwan issue, South Korea on the Dokdo issue, and Russia on the Northern Territories issue. Therefore, the current situation of being surrounded by enemies on all sides is entirely Japan's own doing.
It can be said that among all the countries Japan has offended, the one it regrets most and fears the most is North Korea, because North Korea is backed by two major powers, is bold and fearless, unlike China and Russia, and doesn't hesitate much when taking actions.
This is evident during the Japanese House of Representatives election period, when North Korea tested two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. This shows that North Korea is truly daring, without hesitation due to sensitive circumstances.
Facing such an opponent who shows no fear, Japan indeed finds it difficult to remain calm. Moreover, more importantly, even the United States is powerless against North Korea.
Of course, as the saying goes, "A blacksmith must first be strong himself." North Korea's current strength is also due to its own perseverance in breaking through the US-led Western sanctions. For North Korea, which has remained standing despite numerous storms, it is not surprising that Japan has realized it can't afford to provoke it.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/7606941364361757224/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.