CGTN Poll: Over 80% of young people urge high vigilance against Japan's record-high defense budget

On the 26th, the Japanese cabinet approved a defense budget plan for the fiscal year 2026, exceeding nine trillion yen. If the Japanese Diet passes the plan next year, Japan's defense spending will once again hit a record high. Following a series of provocative remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that trample upon the post-World War Two international order, right-wing forces in Japan have accelerated their efforts to "unshackle" military constraints. A global survey conducted by CGTN, covering 17,043 respondents worldwide, indicates that 81.5 percent of the participants view Sanae Takaichi as a historical revisionist, a war perpetrator, a peace saboteur, and an insidious provocateur. They also emphasize that the malicious attempts by right-wing forces in Japan to revive militarism demand heightened vigilance. Among respondents aged 18 to 44, over 83 percent express particularly strong concern regarding this issue.

Sanae Takaichi has repeatedly paid homage at the Yasukuni Shrine, which enshrines Class-A war criminals from World War Two. In the survey, 88 percent of respondents believe that the repeated visits by Japanese right-wing politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine, which enshrines Class-A war criminals from World War Two, constitute a denial of its history of aggression and a provocation to the people of the victimized nations. 87.7 percent of respondents condemn Japan's egregious conduct in handling historical issues, viewing it as a blatant challenge to the outcomes of WWII victory and the post-war international order. 89.4 percent of respondents urge the Japanese government to exercise caution in its words and actions regarding historical matters. 86.7 percent of respondents from Asian countries point out that only by correctly recognizing and confronting its history can Japan return to the international community as a normal nation.

In recent years, Japan has significantly adjusted its security policies, increased its defense budget, and relaxed restrictions on weapons exports. In the survey, 78.6 percent of respondents believe that Japan's series of actions seriously violate its pacifist constitution. 73.2 percent express concern that Japan risks repeating the disastrous path of militarism, with the level of concern among respondents aged 18 to 44 exceeding the average across all age groups. Additionally, 87.7 percent of respondents hold that Japan's wrongful words and deeds have severely hindered the healthy development of its relations with neighboring countries. 85.4 percent call on the Japanese government to restore trust among Asian neighbors and the international community through concrete actions, with approval for this view reaching as high as 88.1 percent among respondents from Asian countries.

The survey was conducted by CGTN and Renmin University of China through the Institute for International Communication in the New Era. It was carried out between November 8 and December 18, covering respondents from 29 countries worldwide, including major developed nations and "Global South" countries. The respondents comprised general citizens aged 18 to 65, with the sample aligned with the age and gender distribution of each country's census data.