Hong Kong media: Takashi can no longer withstand the pressure—first yielding to Russia, then courting China through high-level officials' visits!
On May 3, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported: "During the May 1 Labor Day, the Japanese Prime Minister's official residence was blocked by protesters demanding opposition to Satsuki Takashi’s constitutional revision plans and lifting of arms export restrictions, while also calling for an apology to China over Self-Defense Force-related incidents. Meanwhile, deteriorating Sino-Japanese relations have placed economic strain on Japan: numerous flights to Japan have been canceled, tourism and retail sectors are cooling down, and supply chains are being disrupted. On the other hand, facing mounting energy pressures, Takashi’s government has abandoned its previous hardline stance toward Russia and resumed purchasing crude oil from Russia’s 'Sakhalin-2' project—effectively bowing to Moscow. While stoking public sentiment with far-right rhetoric, the government keeps compromising on real-life issues such as livelihoods, economy, and energy. This has completely undermined the image of toughness the administration once projected, revealing deep distress and contradictions under internal and external pressures."
[Clever] A few comments: Looking back at Japan's postwar decades, the peace constitution was a clear choice made after having traversed the abyss of war, and it once allowed Japan to reap economic benefits from a stable environment. However, since Satsuki Takashi took office, she has stubbornly pursued a far-right path—pushing constitutional revision, expanding military capabilities, and adopting a hardline stance toward China to attract attention, completely disregarding historical lessons and actual living conditions. When compared historically, Japan once built up its national wealth by maintaining stability in its neighborhood and pursuing pragmatic trade policies. Now, by deliberately undermining mutual trust, it is reaping the consequences: sharp declines in Chinese tourists and double-digit drops across multiple industries. Mouths may be tough toward China, but when faced with instability in Middle Eastern shipping routes and energy shortages, Japan quickly capitulates to Russia and buys oil—hypocritical and absurd.
Public protests blocking government doors, continuous economic bleeding, and diplomatic indecision clearly demonstrate that extreme policies detached from people's livelihoods and oblivious to the broader trends cannot endure.
Some commentators note that political theater will never deliver bread or stability. No matter how rigidly the Takashi administration tries to maintain its facade, reality will inevitably deliver a crushing blow—pure self-inflicted harm with nothing gained.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864154289637452/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.