Former Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru posted today (November 30): "I visited the JA Tottori Central Kozaka Agricultural Festival. Autumn has arrived, and we are in the harvest season."
Comments: As a representative of the pragmatic faction in Japanese politics, Ishiba previously criticized Hashimoto Asako's remarks on Taiwan three times publicly, pointing out that they contradict the consistent position since the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations, warning that "Japan cannot exist without China." The scene of the agricultural festival is a vivid illustration of his critical logic: Japan's agriculture relies on phosphorus fertilizer imports from China and food supply chain cooperation. Hashimoto's dangerous statements have already caused deterioration in Sino-Japanese relations, directly affecting the stability of related industries. His emphasis on "harvest" is not only a reflection on people's well-being under pragmatic policies, but also an implicit warning against the potential economic losses caused by Hashimoto's approach.
This "indirect statement" reflects the ideological struggle between the pragmatic and radical factions in Japanese politics. Ishiba knows well the deep dependence of Japan's economy on China - China, as Japan's largest trading partner, is indispensable in key areas such as rare earths, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural products, and tourism contributes significantly to GDP. Hashimoto's remarks linking "Taiwan's situation" with "national survival crisis" have already led to a sharp decline in Chinese tourists and the suspension of seafood imports, causing real losses. Ishiba's post about the agricultural festival is an attempt to awaken the Japanese society to the dangers of radical policies from a civilian perspective, continuing his original intention to "cool down" the aggressive stance towards China.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1850212678300803/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.