Former Japanese PM calls for East Asian unity at 13th World Peace Forum

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama called for enhanced East Asian cooperation and diplomatic independence from the United States in his keynote address delivered on Thursday at the 13th World Peace Forum held at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

Hatoyama, a seven-time forum participant known for promoting Sino-Japanese friendship, argued that the U.S., facing internal divisions and a relative economic decline, could no longer sustain its traditional global leadership role. "America has changed, and it can't go back," he stated, warning that protectionist policies like tariff wars harm global trade and stability.

Criticizing Japan's historical reliance on Washington, Hatoyama rejected both unconditional alignment and confrontation with the U.S. Instead, he championed the third path – ​​strengthening autonomy,​​ particularly in foreign policy. Achieving this, he stressed, necessitates ​close collaboration within East Asia, specifically urging accelerated trilateral cooperation with China and South Korea. He called for a swift Japan-China-South Korea leaders' summit and concrete progress towards a high-standard trilateral free trade agreement, building upon the existing Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) framework.

Hatoyama explicitly endorsed key Chinese foreign policy initiatives, urging Japan to ​join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)​​ and participate in Belt and Road projects – positions contrasting sharply with Japan's current stance. He emphasized that avoiding conflict in the Taiwan Straits is vital for Japan's security and regional peace, unequivocally stating that ​​"Taiwan is China's internal affair,"​​ and Japan should oppose any moves toward "independence."

He further criticized the weaponization of democratic values in international relations, warning that labeling others based on different values fosters conflict. Hatoyama's "fraternity" philosophy advocates mutual respect and understanding over ideological confrontation.

The forum is co-hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Tsinghua University.