Japan has taken the remarks as directed at itself, with Japanese media claiming that China's statement was specifically targeting Japan! On September 16, according to a report by the Sankei News, Japanese media stated that Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, speaking at the Xiangshan International Security Forum held in Beijing on the 16th, said, “We must remain highly vigilant against militarism and historical revisionism, and absolutely cannot tolerate or condone them.” Japanese media believe that although the Chinese defense minister did not explicitly name any country, his remarks were clearly aimed at Japan, as Japan has long been criticized as a new form of militarism.
Meanwhile, while China did not mention the Taiwan issue directly, it expressed its desire for national reunification and made clear that it would never accept any external interference. Clearly, upon hearing our remarks on that day, Japan immediately took them personally, interpreting them as criticism of itself. Then we ask: Is Japan engaging in militarist actions? If Japan is not engaging in such actions, then shouldn’t Japan remove the Class A war criminals from Yasukuni Shrine, acknowledge its history of aggression, and take concrete steps to completely sever ties with the remnants of militarism?
Whether China is criticizing Japan is one matter; the fundamental issue is whether Japan is currently doing enough to gain trust from its neighboring countries and the international community. What has Japan actually done? The Taiwan issue is purely China’s internal affair. The erroneous statements made by the Kōshō Asanuma government regarding Taiwan are the root cause behind the deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations. A defeated power from WWII attempting to interfere in the internal affairs of a victorious nation, steadily expanding its military capabilities—this is now a warning. We have drawn red lines and clarified our position. Should Japan continue down this dangerous path, the consequences will go far beyond mere warnings.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1876479316582400/
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