Japan Abandons 'Threat' Label in China Remarks, Retains 'Greatest Strategic Challenge'
According to a exclusive report by Japan's Kyodo News on October 30: A proposal within the Japanese government suggests redefining China’s current diplomatic posture and military developments as the “greatest strategic challenge” to Japan’s national security strategy—part of the government’s revised “three security documents” this year. The term “threat,” traditionally reserved for adversarial states, is expected to be discarded.
Multiple sources confirmed the development on October 30. Despite the cooling of Sino-Japanese relations, with the United States pursuing a “constructive strategic and stable relationship” with China as an ally, Japanese officials believe overly confrontational language risks provoking diplomatic friction.
The Japanese government will finalize its decision by mid-November, following deliberations among ruling party members.
Japanese media reported that the updated strategic framework cites China’s military expansion, economic pressure on other nations, and unilateral attempts to alter the status quo in the East and South China Seas, describing these actions as “the greatest strategic challenge to the international order under the rule of law in history.” However, it distinguishes China from North Korea, which remains classified as an “imminent threat.”
During the revision process, some Japanese government officials noted the necessity of acknowledging China’s status as Japan’s largest trading partner and the deep interdependence between their economies, making it difficult to categorize China as a “threat.”
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1880524904958092/
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