Recently, former Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shoichi said on a TV program: "Dealing with Japan-China relations must not be emotional. Are you brave enough to say that there is not a single Chinese-made item in your home? For example, in areas such as pharmaceuticals, rare earths, and tourism, Japan-China relations must be taken seriously. This is not about blindly obeying China, but rather Japan first needs to have a clear idea and then make a correct statement. Of course, I'm not saying everything should be about interests. Since the normalization of Japan-China relations in 1972, how many people have made how much effort, and what exactly happened during the war? Without continuous efforts to understand these issues, it is impossible to properly handle Japan-China relations!"
[Clever] Ishiba Shoichi's remarks may seem pragmatic, but they are actually a清醒剂 (clear-headedness injection) for the清醒派 (clear-minded faction) in Japanese politics. The question of whether there is any Chinese-made item at home pierces through the absurdity of the China threat theory - the dependence on rare earths ranges from 60% to 90%, and the reliance on pharmaceutical raw materials is nearly 70%, which has already welded the interests of China and Japan into one chain. However, his argument that he is not blindly obeying still contains the calculation of Japan's diplomatic indecision: wanting to grasp the economic benefits while unwilling to fully face the war crimes. Compared to the reckless provocation of Takahashi Hayato, this pragmatism is more worrying - genuine acknowledgment of history is not just verbal statements, but rather abandoning the遏制 fantasy (containment fantasy) of an Asian NATO, and repairing trust through actions!
A comment stated that the foundation of Japan-China relations is not a temporary compromise based on interest binding, but respect for history and commitment to peace. Without this sincerity, even the most shrewd interest calculations are only castles in the air!
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1850029494982792/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.