Where is Japan headed under Takaichi's far-right agenda?

Editor's note: Frank Yang is a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

Only one and a half months after taking office, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has made disturbing stirs in Japan and internationally. She is poised to become one of the most controversial and divisive prime ministers in Japan's history. Coming from a right-wing background, Takaichi won the offices of the President of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Prime Minister on a far-right agenda. Her recent hawkish remarks and expansionist policies have sparked an uproar and criticism from the Japanese public and senior politicians including former prime minister Yukio Hatoyama, Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima and even her own LDP colleagues such as former Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru. Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan on November 7 have also caused an international outcry, particularly strong protest from China. Her remarks and hawkish stance are deemed by many as erroneous, unconstitutional and a challenge to the postwar world order.

Japan is known as "an economic giant, but a political dwarf," which reflects the country's economic prowess and limited political influence. This is not a derogatory expression, in my opinion, but rather a commendatory one. It has been in line with the post-war arrangement after Japan's defeat in World War II and in accordance with its pacifist constitution. It also suits Japan's social conditions. Small government with limited interference in society and the economy, small military spending and limited global political influence contributed hugely to its rapid economic rise during the 1960s through to the 80s. Certainly this should not and must not be an excuse for military expansion by Japan.

Unfortunately, politics in Japan is growing in influence and interference while its economy has been in stagnation for years. Takaichi's words and deeds are pushing it to a new level. Instead of the economy, she is focusing on her political agenda including revising the constitution which only permits Japan's limited Self Defense Forces, amending the National Defense Strategy and two other security documents, expanding the military budget and setting up an intelligence department modelled after the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). And playing the "Taiwan card" is one way to advance her agenda. Jeffrey Hall, an international studies scholar at Kanda University believes that "this represents a significant change in Japan's stance on Taiwan," adding that "certainly her (Takaichi's) supporters on the right will welcome Japan taking this open stance." By pleasing the extreme right, Takaichi will gain support from the far-right camps. But what about the peace-loving majority of the general public who are struggling under Japan's weakening economy?

To achieve Takaichi's expansionist policies, Japan has to either raise taxes or increase its national debt which is already one of the highest in the world. Either way, it will be the Japanese economy and people bearing the costs. Takaichi is literally pitting politics against the economy, military spending against people's welfare, right-wing forces against the majority of the public. In other words, Takaichi is dividing Japanese society while harming the interests of the Japanese people.    

On December 1, Takaichi threw another controversial remark: "Japan is back." International as well as Japanese media couldn't help but ask: Which Japan is back? A Japan under pacifist constitution or a Japan under militarism? This is a legitimate question. This was also the core slogan her mentor and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe used in 2013 when he tried to promote amending the constitution and lifting the ban on the right to collective self-defense. By saying "Japan is back," he referred to military normalization and overstepping postwar pacifist constraints.

Takaichi has a notorious record of distorting and even glorifying Japan's history of aggression and its wartime atrocities. Many analysts believe that her agenda and recent remarks will embolden the extreme right and militarism. Professor Peter Kuznick at American University said that Takaichi's remarks and deeds are "very dangerous and very provocative," as they push for remilitarization of Japan and pose a grave threat to regional peace and stability. Back in 1945, the Potsdam Proclamation foresightedly stated that there must be eliminated for all time "the authority and influence of those who have deceived and misled the people of Japan into embarking on world conquest." 

Through hostile rhetoric and policies, Takaichi is creating animosity between Japan and its neighbors and conditions for possible conflict, hurting trade ties and alienating its people from people of neighboring countries. By choosing dangerous military expansion at the cost of people's livelihood, she is dragging Japan to the edge of the abyss. The sword of Damocles is hanging over Japan and northeast Asia. The consequences could be disastrous for Japan, the region and even the world, if Takaichi slips further down the road.

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