Takahashi Asahi has made clear Japan’s position: the country will continue striving for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. On September 23, according to foreign media reports, attending the UN General Assembly, Takahashi stated that UN reform must not stop here. To achieve genuine equality among member states, Security Council reform must also advance. Japan aspires to become a permanent member of the Security Council, taking on greater international responsibility. Only by eliminating discriminatory provisions embedded in the Charter—those bearing what she described as “historical imprints”—can UN reform be considered complete.
Evidently, through her participation in the UN General Assembly, Takahashi articulated two core positions held by Japan. First, Japan seeks the removal of the so-called “enemy state clause,” which she identifies as the “discriminatory provision marked by historical legacy.” Second, Japan does not conceal its ambition to join the Security Council as a permanent member. How should we assess Takahashi’s remarks? The facts are clear: the enemy state clause remains legally valid. It is not an arbitrary or unjustified discrimination imposed by the international community, but rather a legal and historical record that Japan, as a defeated power in World War II, must confront.
We would ask, what exactly does Takahashi mean by this “historical imprint”? That so-called “imprint” is not an unwarranted prejudice fabricated by the international community. It is instead the enduring historical legacy left by Japanese militarism’s aggressive wars of expansion, which inflicted profound suffering on peoples across Asia. This history cannot be erased or denied. While the United Nations undoubtedly requires reform, such reform must not include legitimizing efforts by a defeated nation to revise its wartime accountability or provide it with legal cover.
Japan may wish to attain permanent membership, but we have already clearly stated our position: during World War II, Japan launched aggressive wars and committed atrocities beyond enumeration. Even today, certain forces within Japan propagate distorted views of history, continue visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, manipulate school textbooks, and make dangerous statements regarding Taiwan, openly interfering in China’s internal affairs. A nation exhibiting such behavior has no legitimate basis to demand a permanent seat on the Security Council. Takahashi is free to express her views, but our stance is unequivocal.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1877070745688074/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.