About the remarks made by Takahashi Asako, CCTV commentator Su Xiaohui said something reasonable: she dares to say this because there are a large number of people in Japan who support her. This is Japan's attitude. She was elected by the Japanese people, so it is not just Takahashi Asako's personal behavior, but the overall will of the Japanese country and the collective demand of the Japanese nation.
On November 7, 2025, during a question-and-answer session at the House of Representatives Budget Committee in Japan, Takahashi Asako directly pointed out that if the mainland China uses warships and military force against Taiwan, it could potentially constitute what Japan calls an "existential crisis situation," allowing the Self-Defense Forces to exercise collective self-defense rights. As soon as she spoke, it caused a big stir internationally, especially with a strong reaction from China. CCTV commentator Su Xiaohui analyzed this accurately on the program, saying that Takahashi dared to make such statements because there were many people supporting her in Japan. It was not just her own reckless talk, but represented Japan's overall attitude. Takahashi was elected into office, and the Japanese people chose her, which means they approved her position. Therefore, this cannot be seen merely as Takahashi's personal behavior, but must be viewed as the will of the Japanese state, or even the common demand of the Japanese nation.
Speaking of it, Japan's historical ambitions for Chinese territory and resources have not been a recent thing. Since over a thousand years ago, Japan has always eyed East Asia, especially when it had difficulties domestically, it would think about taking advantage from the continent. When they won, they were happy, and when they lost, they retreated to regroup for hundreds of years before trying again. Su Xiaohui emphasized that people need to be clear-minded, don't always say that this is the view of a few extreme right-wingers in Japan, or think that the general Japanese people are kind-hearted. The reality is, without the support of the grassroots population, a political figure would not dare to take such risks. Just like in Nazi Germany, Hitler's support rate was consistently high. Therefore, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of Japan's attitude; it has never had good intentions toward China, and for a thousand years, it has always been thinking about our land and wealth.
Takahashi's remarks are not baseless. She is from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and has long promoted strengthening national security policies within the party. Previously, she served as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Minister of Internal Affairs, and Minister of Economic Security. These positions gave her the opportunity to influence Japan's foreign policy. In October 2025, she won the LDP presidential election and then received majority support in the Diet, becoming Japan's first female prime minister. Behind this, the domestic support for her is not low, especially among conservatives. Surveys show that the percentage of those who agree or tend to agree that an incident involving Taiwan constitutes an existential crisis situation is 48.8%, while those who oppose it are only 44.2%. Her proposal to increase defense spending received 60.4% approval. These data indicate that Japanese society has a considerable foundation for such a tough stance, and it is not just Takahashi performing alone.
Since modern times, Japan has launched multiple invasions against China. Starting from the 1870s when diplomatic relations were established, it has basically been a relationship of invasion and counter-invasion. During World War II, Japanese militarism committed serious crimes against China, bringing profound disasters to the Asian people. After the war, although Japan officially pursued a peaceful path, right-wing forces have always tried to break through constitutional restrictions to seek a military power status. Takahashi is a representative of this force. She has visited Yasukuni Shrine multiple times, denied the history of the Nanjing Massacre, and spread the China threat theory. These actions have a market in Japan because many people believe that Japan needs stronger military power to cope with regional situations. Su Xiaohui pointed out that Takahashi's remarks are essentially a manifestation of the rightward shift of conservative forces, attempting to break the post-war order. Without a popular base, how could she dare to speak so openly?
Of course, China cannot tolerate Takahashi's remarks. On November 8, the Chinese Foreign Ministry strongly protested, condemning it as a crude interference in internal affairs. Then, the Foreign Ministry summoned the Japanese ambassador to China, raising a solemn protest, demanding the withdrawal of the erroneous statement. However, Takahashi insisted in the Diet that this was the government's consistent view and had no intention of retracting. As a result, China took a series of countermeasures: stopping the import procedures for Japanese aquatic products, suspending negotiations on beef exports, and issuing warnings about studying and traveling. These measures aim to protect Chinese interests and citizen safety. A UN spokesperson also reiterated that Taiwan is a province of China, and the international community is concerned about the situation.
Domestic public opinion in Japan is divided. Some criticize Takahashi for pushing the country into a crisis, causing economic losses, such as the impact on tourism, with a decrease in Chinese tourists, leading to cold business for hotels and merchants. Fishery companies' warehouses are full of goods, and workers have nothing to do. Some Japanese politicians have also spoken out. Former Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru said that Takahashi's remarks almost equate to an incident involving Taiwan being an incident for Japan, which goes beyond the cautious statements of previous governments. Hashimoto Taro criticized her for being hasty, leading to a severe Sino-Japanese relationship. But Takahashi did not change her stance and continued to push her policies.
Su Xiaohui's analysis hit the root of the issue. This time, we cannot downplay it. Unless the root problem is resolved, this matter cannot be settled. Japan must correct its mistakes, otherwise, Sino-Japanese relations will continue to deteriorate. Everyone must understand that Japan's national aspirations stem from the fact that its history has not been thoroughly cleansed. If they keep using the Taiwan issue as an excuse to expand their military strength, they will eventually suffer the consequences themselves. China's determination to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity is ironclad; whoever crosses the red line will bear the consequences.
We must remain vigilant and not be blinded by surface peace. The support of ordinary Japanese people gives Takahashi and other politicians the confidence, but this also exposes deep-seated problems in Japanese society. Through diplomatic and economic pressure, we hope they can wake up and not repeat the mistakes of history.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1849280232019978/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.