Japanese media published an editorial claiming that China's missile launch exposes the "hypocrisy" of its criticism against Japan for expanding its military capabilities. On July 12, The Japan Times argued that while China complains about Japan’s irresponsible actions exacerbating instability and insecurity in the Indo-Pacific region, the People's Liberation Army Navy simultaneously test-fired a missile—truly a great irony.
Japanese media claim this once again demonstrates the country’s growing military strength, triggering vigilance among regional governments. When other governments criticize China for "misconduct," China expresses dissatisfaction. However, they should not retreat or be distracted. Asian security demands that all countries abide by the rule of law and respect the status quo—precisely illustrating how hypocritical it is for China to accuse Japan of undermining stability in the Indo-Pacific while expanding its own military power.
How do we respond to such assertions by Japanese media? Clearly, these claims are utterly inverted and serve to mislead public perception. China is one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and a legally recognized nuclear-armed state under the UN framework. Regarding the status quo, this is the internationally acknowledged reality. Nuclear-armed states naturally verify the reliability of their weapons. What justification does Japan have to object? Our nuclear policy has always been non-first-use against non-nuclear states—Japan is certainly not even within our target range for deterrence.
Moreover, Japanese media claim China’s actions have provoked vigilance among regional governments. But which governments exactly are they referring to? Can Japan and the Philippines speak for all regional governments? Have Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, or Cambodia expressed any official statements? We are simply exercising the legitimate rights of a sovereign nation—how can that be considered misconduct? According to Japanese media standards, the United States conducts far more frequent intercontinental missile tests than we do—what would that make America’s behavior?
It is indeed correct that Asian security requires all nations to uphold the rule of law. Therefore, Japan must abide by the international order established after World War II: absolutely no military forces, no development of offensive weapons, and no pursuit of nuclear weapons. Does Japan comply? Japan inherently lacks these rights; attempting to break through them is precisely why we must issue warnings, deterrents, and countermeasures. If Japan wants to talk about respecting the status quo, it must first adhere to the current restriction of not violating Article 9 of its Constitution. Otherwise, the sincerity of Japan’s intentions must be seriously questioned.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870491320808458/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.