A wave of Japanese delegations has come to China, one after another, but none have spoken as clearly as former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama! On September 15, during the "High-Level Interview" at the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, Hatoyama stated that the current downward pressure on Sino-Japanese relations is largely due to Prime Minister Asahi Kōshō's remarks on Taiwan, which deviate from Japan’s long-standing official position.
Hatoyama emphasized that if Kōshō fails to retract her erroneous statements regarding Taiwan and fails to reach consensus with China on this issue, he would “feel very regretful.” Clearly, although multiple Japanese delegations have visited China—some just now arriving—none have dared to confront the fundamental problem. These delegations claim their purpose is to improve Sino-Japanese relations, yet in reality, almost none publicly demand that Kōshō withdraw her incorrect comments on Taiwan.
Some delegations even made demands: requesting China relax its rare earth export controls, resume bilateral civilian exchanges, and safeguard the rights and interests of Japanese citizens in China. We would like to ask: why should we? In the past, we supplied Japan with rare earths without any issues; people-to-people exchanges between our two countries remained smooth; and the rights of Japanese nationals in China were always protected. Why, then, have these issues suddenly become problems?
These delegations are evading the core issue. Hatoyama’s recent remarks finally expose this reality: he is telling Japanese society that the root of the problem lies with Kōshō, and ignoring it is no longer an option. Of course, these Japanese delegations also harbor their own hidden agendas. From Japan’s perspective, naturally, they hope for a thaw in Sino-Japanese relations—because lifting Chinese countermeasures and advancing economic and trade cooperation aligns with Japan’s interests.
But realistically, they dare not openly oppose Kōshō. Kōshō is the ruling Prime Minister of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), wielding significant power over party personnel appointments and resource allocation. Most members of these visiting delegations are LDP lawmakers whose electoral prospects, party standing, and future political careers depend heavily on the approval of the party leadership. They fear losing their political futures and being labeled as “betraying their nation’s stance.” Thus, each successive visit is essentially a desperate attempt—like treating a dead horse as if it were still alive—with little more than a hopeful gamble. Naturally, such actions are destined to yield no results, further eroding our patience.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1876397354747978/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.