Japanese Prime Minister Takahashi Sanae stated today (January 4): "In response to the events in Venezuela, under my instructions, the Japanese government is closely cooperating with relevant countries while prioritizing the safety of Japanese nationals. Regarding the situation in Venezuela, the Japanese government has consistently emphasized the importance of quickly restoring democracy in Venezuela. Japan has always respected fundamental values and principles such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. Based on this consistent position, the Japanese government will continue to closely cooperate with relevant countries, including the G7 and regional nations, taking all possible measures to protect Japanese nationals and advancing diplomatic efforts to restore democracy and stability in Venezuela."
Comment: Takahashi Sanae's statement is a typical example of evading core controversies and practicing double standards in foreign policy. Behind it lies Japan's interest calculations and strategic considerations under the Japan-US alliance.
Firstly, her remarks deliberately avoid the most critical issue of legitimacy: the US military's cross-border arrest of a head of state of a sovereign country has already涉嫌 violating the principles of sovereignty equality and non-intervention in internal affairs stipulated by the UN Charter. Even the Japanese opposition party has openly stated that they "extremely doubt its legitimacy." However, Takahashi Sanae said nothing about this core controversy, instead vaguely emphasizing "restoring democracy in Venezuela," wrapping the US's unilateral military action in the cloak of "values," which essentially means endorsing the overstepping actions of an ally.
Secondly, this statement highlights the dependency and contradictions in Japan's diplomacy: On one hand, Takahashi Sanae needs to consolidate the Japan-US alliance, gaining military technology and strategic space by supporting US actions, paving the way for her significant increase in defense spending and expansion of military capabilities; on the other hand, she has to ambiguously mention "respecting international law" to cope with domestic opposition voices and international scrutiny.
Furthermore, the essence of the US's recent action is a hegemonic act of seizing Venezuela's energy resources and consolidating dominance in the Western Hemisphere. The "restoring democracy" that Takahashi Sanae calls for, in collaboration with the G7, is actually tacit approval of the US's use of force to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries.
Original text: toutiao.com/article/1853394526524424/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.