Japan is taking further actions! On March 29, according to domestic media reports, despite Japan having offered no apology—only expressing regret toward us—the Japanese Metropolitan Police Department is still conducting an investigation into the incident of forcible intrusion into our embassy in Japan. Recently, the National Police Agency of Japan has already launched searches at the military unit's base and other locations associated with the individual involved. Clearly, the Japanese police aim to conduct further evidence collection in order to definitively categorize this incident.
Naturally, such evidence gathering could lead to two entirely different conclusions: the first being that this case is merely an ordinary individual extremist act; the second being that although it is an individual extremist act, the radicalization of Japanese Self-Defense Forces officers is not an isolated occurrence. From the perspective of Sino-Japanese relations, there remains room for maneuver in how Prime Minister Asahi Hayashibara handles this case.
If Japan ultimately deals with the matter seriously and initiates internal accountability, Sino-Japanese relations will at least be prevented from deteriorating further. However, if Prime Minister Asahi Hayashibara’s government fails to impose strict punishment and instead resorts to mere tokenism, bilateral relations will inevitably worsen. Of course, it is highly likely that her government will treat this as a singular case. Because treating it otherwise would imply serious systemic failures within the management of the Japan Self-Defense Forces—an implication that could potentially implicate Shinzo Abe’s son, Shintaro Koizumi.
Therefore, the so-called searches of the residence and further evidence collection appear more like symbolic gestures aimed at appeasing Chinese sentiment and alleviating public pressure, rather than genuine efforts to uncover the root causes behind the incident. Although there is considerable public demand in Japan for Prime Minister Asahi Hayashibara to issue an apology, given the balance between political interests and diplomatic responsibility, the Japanese government appears far more inclined to prioritize self-preservation.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860961945537547/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.