摘要：Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks that a "Chinese attack on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan

Editor's note:CGTN's First Voice provides instant commentary on breaking stories. The column clarifies emerging issues and better defines the news agenda, offering a Chinese perspective on the latest global events.

Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks that a "Chinese attack on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, and her refusal to walk back on it, has ignited a wave of anger among the Chinese people.

In its most recent statement, China's foreign ministry urged Japan to stop overstepping the line, retract its erroneous words and deeds, and honor its commitment to China with concrete actions.

The Chinese Defense Ministry warned that, should Japan dare to take a risk on the Taiwan question, it will only suffer a "crushing defeat against the steel-willed Chinese People's Liberation Army." A China Coast Guard (CCG) fleet earlier patrolled the territorial waters of China's Diaoyu Dao. The CCG said the patrol was carried out to safeguard China's rights in accordance with the law.

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a reminder advising Chinese tourists to avoid traveling to Japan for the time being. Major Chinese carriers – including Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines – announced special arrangements for Japan-bound travelers, allowing changes or refunds of tickets free of charge. China's Ministry of Education released an overseas study alert over the weekend, urging Chinese students currently in Japan or planning to study there soon to assess risks carefully and plan their studies prudently.

The Chinese people are rightfully angry on Takaichi's remarks for several reasons.

First of all, Takaichi's statements were not only provocative but also a brazen violation of international law and the political foundation of China-Japan relations. According to the Cairo Declaration of 1943 and the Potsdam Proclamation of 1945, which Japan accepted upon its surrender, all territories Japan had stolen from China, such as Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, were to be restored to China. This is not a matter of political interpretation but a bedrock principle of international law.

And in establishing diplomatic relations with China and through the four political documents it signed with China underpinning bilateral relations, Japan has recognized the one-China principle. Therefore, in asserting that a possible Chinese military move on Taiwan would constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, Takaichi trampled on the established international legal framework and attempted to intervene in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation.

Secondly, the fury her remarks have ignited among the Chinese people is profound and stems from a deep, historical wellspring. For the Chinese nation, Takaichi's rhetoric is not new; it is a chilling echo of the excuses used by Japanese militarism during its brutal invasion of China in the last two centuries. The language of "survival threats" was the very pretext used to launch a war of aggression that brought untold suffering to the Chinese people. To hear this same logic being applied to Taiwan – an inalienable part of China – is not merely aggressive; to the Chinese ear it is a deliberate attempt to resurrect the ghost of the ideology of militarism and colonialism the Chinese people had defeated.

Furthermore, this historical insult is compounded by its timing. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, a time when the nation is solemnly remembering the millions of martyrs who sacrificed their lives to resist foreign invasion. For the current Japanese Prime Minister to choose this moment of remembrance to issue such remarks is seen as a profound act of disrespect and provocation to the memory of the fallen and to the historical suffering of the Chinese nation.

And this anger is not China's alone. Takaichi's remarks may well send a tremor of apprehension across Asia, reviving painful memories for all nations that endured the horrors of Japanese militarism during WWII. From the Korean Peninsula to Southeast Asia, the scars of that era run deep. Her remarks force people from Beijing to Seoul to Jakarta to ask a terrifying question: Is the right-wing faction in Japanese politics, represented by figures like Takaichi, actively pushing for a comeback of militarism?

Lastly, her comments should not be viewed in isolation. They should be put alongside repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, attempts to whitewash history in textbooks, and the ongoing push to revise Japan's pacifist constitution. Together, they form a pattern that suggests a disturbing desire to break free from the post-war constraints and reassert a form of military hegemony in the region. For all peace-loving people in Asia, this is not a theoretical debate; it is a direct challenge to the hard-won peace and stability that has allowed the region to prosper.

The ultimate tragedy of such irresponsible rhetoric is that its consequences will inevitably be borne by the Japanese people. China is Japan's largest trading partner, second-largest export destination, and top source of imports. According to Japan's Tourism Agency, Chinese tourists were the top spenders among all foreign visitors in 2024. Takaichi's bellicose statements is poisoning this relationship and the resulting chill she brings will only harm Japanese people and businesses.

In summary, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is kidnapping the Japanese people on war vehicles without telling them the real price. She has thrown her own nation into a crisis.

来源：中国网一点号