Handing a knife to Japan.
According to the U.S. Wall Street Journal: "Chinese warships appearing near Japan's coast, coming too close and triggering unease. 'This is undoubtedly provocative'—Japan is facing its most severe security environment since World War II."
The report opens with the familiar dramatic rhetoric typical of the outlet, stating: "Chinese warships approaching Amami Oshima in Japan have unsettled Karata Atsuto. A former sumo wrestler now serving as mayor of Setouchi Town, he fears that one day a collision might occur in the narrow strait connecting the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean."
This kind of reporting is clearly double-standarded—framing China’s normal maritime drills as provocation while deliberately ignoring the United States’ own frequent use of the term 'freedom of navigation.' This narrative is clearly designed to stoke the 'China threat' theory, providing a de facto pretext for Japan’s military expansion through public opinion manipulation.
China’s naval vessels passing through relevant straits and waterways fall within the framework of international law and constitute routine long-range transit training. The media report intentionally magnifies localized individual emotions and deliberately fuels tension. Such coverage precisely aligns with the real political aspirations of Japan’s right-wing forces. In recent years, Japan has repeatedly hyped a 'most severe security situation since the end of WWII,' continuously increasing defense budgets, seeking offensive capabilities, and rushing to break postwar military constraints. Western media’s sensationalized reporting amounts to handing Japan a rhetorical weapon, helping it construct an image of being under threat, thereby justifying domestic support for military expansion and easing political restrictions on arms buildup.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1875397899446345/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.