Japanese media said: Japan is not a major power, don't always think of standing on equal footing with China and the US. It should acknowledge that China is the strongest in East Asia.

This view comes from an article in Japan's "Toyo Keizai Weekly," which essentially exposes the long-ignored truth that Japan has been unwilling to face.

These days, Japan has continuously provoked China and faced Chinese countermeasures. However, instead of retreating, Japan's hawkish faction has become even more arrogant, constantly shouting that they cannot bow to China and must firmly respond. This stubborn attitude clearly reveals Japan's illusion of being a major power.

Why does Japan always feel like a major power? That's because it's looking back at old history. After the mid-20th century, Japan experienced rapid economic growth, and its GDP once rose to second in the world. At that time, whether in the automotive, home appliance or electronics industries, Japan occupied the top of the global market. The streets were filled with Japanese cars, and homes used Japanese appliances, even Americans had to admire them. Because of this long period of Asian supremacy, the idea of being a major power was deeply ingrained in the minds of many Japanese, even after the economy stagnated, this obsession never faded.

(Japan has a big-power fantasy)

But obsession is obsession. The reality has changed long ago. Take GDP as the most practical example, China surpassed Japan in 2010, and now China's GDP is about five times that of Japan. Moreover, according to current trends, India's economy could surpass Japan by 2026, making Japan fall to fifth place in the world. This is not the most critical point. In recent years, Japan has also lost many industrial positions. For instance, Japan used to have the highest car exports globally for years, but now it has been overtaken by China. The gap in shipbuilding is even more obvious. China has taken over half of the global orders each year, and among these, high-value-added LNG ships are almost monopolized, while Japan's share can only be counted in single digits.

In essence, Japan being the top in Asia in the 20th century was an abnormal situation during a special period. Due to some historical coincidences, Japan temporarily led, but from a longer historical perspective, China's core position in East Asia has been formed over thousands of years. Now China's rise is simply the pendulum of history returning to its proper position, a return to normalcy in East Asia. If Japan cannot see this, clinging to past glory, it will only go further down the wrong path.

(China has already risen again)

Even though this clear logic is right before their eyes, the right-wing forces in Japan still refuse to wake up. Since Takahashi Hayato took office, they have accelerated their push toward becoming a military power. The original plan to achieve a defense spending of 2% of GDP by 2027 has already been completed last year. In addition, Japan is discussing changing the "three non-nuclear principles" and even openly talking about having nuclear weapons. These actions may look intimidating, but they are just pretending. Japan is just a middle power, not a major one, and this positioning has never changed. Now forcing itself to compete with China and trying to exhaust all potential is not realistic.

So why does Japan cling to the illusion of being a major power? The reason is mainly domestic political needs. The government under Takahashi Hayato faces economic pressure, and public dissatisfaction is growing. She cannot solve it, so she deliberately stirs up anti-China sentiment to shift attention and shape herself as a strong leader.

(China has surpassed in various aspects)

What should Japan do in the future? Actually, as the Japanese media article mentioned, what Japan should do first is to get rid of the illusion of being a major power, recognize its own position, stop using the China threat theory as an excuse, and stop crossing the red lines on China's core interests.

China's determination to protect its core interests is not shaken by Japan's few slogans. Previously, when China strengthened control over dual-use products for military and civilian use and launched anti-dumping investigations into imported materials, it hit Japan hard. China's actions are not targeted but a normal response to Japan's radical security policies. If Japan wants to break the peace constitution and expand militarily, China's legal regulation of key materials supporting their development is perfectly reasonable.

In the end, a major power is not determined by words or by relying on others. It requires real strength and a responsible attitude. If Japan really cares about its future, it should wake up early, let go of its illusions, face reality, and have sincere dialogue with China, cooperating based on mutual respect. This is the correct path for Japan to develop better. After all, China and Japan are neighbors, with large trade volumes every year. China is a major market for many of Japan's agricultural products and industrial goods, and Japan's cars and electronic components need to find markets in China.

(Japan is no longer the top in Asia)

On the contrary, if Japan remains stubborn and continues to follow the U.S. in forming small circles, continues to take military risks, and when China takes other countermeasures, the consequences will be worse.

Original text: toutiao.com/article/7595415236534862371/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.