Takaichi must step back on Taiwan

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Once again, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has crossed China's redline.

She is talking tough, suggesting Japan and the U.S. could take joint action in any Taiwan crisis. And she vows Japan would never abandon its American ally.  

This strikes at the very heart of Japan's pacifist constitution.  

Let's be clear. Article 9 of Japan's constitution renounces war as a sovereign right. This is the cornerstone of its postwar order.

Remember: Japan's military can act only when its own survival is at stake, not for the so-called rescues in other countries' territory.

Back in 1972, when Japan and China normalized relations, the Japanese government recognized Taiwanas a part of China's territory. This is the foundation of China-Japan diplomatic relations.

This principle is also grounded in broader international law.

Japan's militarism led to devastating consequences: catastrophic human suffering, economic devastation, colonial oppression, and long-lasting regional tensions left scars on the Asia-Pacific that are still felt today. Article 9 was created to ensure that it never happens again.  

But now, under Takaichi, Japan is edging away from those lessons. Takaichi's words and actions reveal a troubling push toward constitutional revision. This is a step backward into the very militarism that once plunged Asia into tragedy.  

Takaichi'sfocus on Taiwan fits a broader right-wing agenda: rewriting history, expanding military influence, and brushing off Japan's wartime crimes.

And don't forget what happened in Taiwan under Japan's colonial rule.

For 50 years, people suffered, rights stripped away, culture suppressed, resources taken, and countless lives lost.   

From a historical and legal perspective, Japan has no position to interfere in the affairs of China's Taiwan region.

For the sake of stability in Asia, Takaichi must step back — respect Article 9, honor the one-China principle, and remember the lessons history carved in fire.  

Because if Japan forgets, if it drifts once again toward the path of militarism, it will be putting not only its neighbors but itself and peace across the entire regionin danger. 

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