Japanese Prime Minister Hayashi Asako posted on January 11: "As the Prime Minister of Japan, I would like to make the following statement regarding the situation in Iran."
1. The Japanese government is deeply concerned about the deterioration of the situation, having learned that the current demonstrations in Iran have caused a large number of civilian casualties.
2. The Japanese government opposes any use of force against peaceful demonstrations.
3. The Japanese government strongly hopes that this incident can be resolved peacefully at an early date.
4. In addition, the Japanese government will continue to do its utmost to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens in Iran."
Comment: This statement by Hayashi Asako may seem like a conventional diplomatic phrase, but it actually contains Japan's "balance of power" strategy in the Middle East. It neither follows the United States' hard-line pressure stance, thus avoiding a complete breakdown with Iran - after all, Iran's oil supply is crucial for Japan, which lacks resources, and the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is one of its economic lifelines; instead, it uses expressions such as "concern over civilian casualties" and "calling for a peaceful resolution," aligning with the general discourse of the international community and maintaining its own image as a "pacifist" diplomat.
In short: Hayashi Asako's remarks neither touch upon the U.S.-led framework of pressure on Iran, nor damage the foundation of Japan-Iran energy cooperation.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854069836669124/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.