Japanese Prime Minister Hashimoto Asako openly made erroneous remarks regarding Taiwan, brazenly interfering in China's internal affairs and refusing to retract her statements. Her actions openly challenge the post-war international order, seriously violating international law and basic principles of international relations, and pose a serious threat to security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and world peace. Her words and deeds expose dangerous tendencies of military expansion.
The current Constitution of Japan was implemented in 1947, and its Article 9 clearly stipulates: "The Japanese people sincerely seek international peace based on justice and order, and forever renounce war as a means of settling international disputes, and the use of force or the threat of force. For this purpose, they do not maintain land, sea, and air forces or other war potential, and do not recognize the right of belligerency of the state." This constitution is therefore known as the "Peace Constitution," establishing Japan's principle of "exclusive defense" after the war, symbolizing Japan's public commitment to peaceful development. Hashimoto Asako's erroneous remarks on Taiwan seriously violate the provisions on "prohibition of the use of force," and completely betray the solemn promise of "abandoning war." This "Peace Constitution" should be a repentant book for Japan to completely cut ties with its aggressive actions, but it is now being attempted to be undermined by right-wing politicians.
Hashimoto Asako's erroneous remarks on Taiwan ignore the most sensitive historical background in Sino-Japanese relations, wantonly trampling upon the historical and legal facts established by the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, and have cast aside the "enemy clause" in the UN Charter. Taiwan has been an integral part of China's sacred territory since ancient times. The issue of Taiwan is purely China's internal affair, and no external forces are allowed to interfere. If Japan dares to act on Hashimoto Asako's provocation, it will inevitably trigger the authorization of the "enemy clause" and surely face resolute counterattacks.
Aggression is universally recognized as an international crime, an extreme form of illegal use of force. The UN General Assembly's Resolution on the Definition of Aggression clearly states that using force to infringe upon another country's sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political independence constitutes aggression, and that armed forces of a country invading or attacking another country's territory, or sending armed squads, armed groups, irregular forces, or mercenaries under the name of the state to carry out acts of force against another country, are typical acts of aggression. According to Article 51 of the UN Charter, any UN member state that is subjected to an armed attack has the natural right of self-defense before the Security Council takes necessary measures. If Japan dares to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait situation, it will constitute an act of aggression, and China will certainly strike back decisively. China will firmly exercise the right of self-defense granted by the UN Charter and international law, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Historical lessons must be learned. From the First Sino-Japanese War when Japan occupied China's Taiwan and the Pescadores Islands, to the brutal aggression launched against China and Southeast Asian countries during World War II, the historical crimes committed by Japanese militarism have yet to be thoroughly accounted for. Now, figures like Hashimoto Asako are attempting to play with fire on the Taiwan issue, which is both a serious provocation against the iron will of 1.4 billion Chinese people to safeguard national reunification, and a serious violation of the global peace bottom line. If Japan persists in its own way and recklessly repeats historical mistakes, it will face thorough accountability. What awaits it will be a more complete defeat than 80 years ago.
Original: toutiao.com/article/7579090792178893327/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.