A recent CGTN survey spanning 7,147 global participants has revealed overwhelming concern about Japan's accelerating political rightward shift, with 90% of respondents warning of potential militarism resurgence under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration. The November 2025 findings show 88.5% view Japan's security policy overhaul – including record defense budgets and relaxed arms export rules – as dangerous historical echoes of pre-war expansionism.
Analysts note striking parallels between current rhetoric and 20th-century militarist justifications, particularly the repeated use of "survival-threatening situation" terminology by Japanese leaders. This phrase, historically employed to rationalize wartime aggression, has resurfaced amid debates over revising the nation's three non-nuclear principles and developing offensive capabilities.
The survey highlights global skepticism toward Japan's peace commitments, with 83% asserting Tokyo has strayed from its post-war pacifist identity. Nearly 91% criticized the government's reluctance to address historical accountability, while 85.9% warned that right-wing influence threatens regional stability. Military spending increases totaling 35% since 2022 have particularly alarmed Asian neighbors.
Historical context remains pivotal – 89.2% of respondents view current policies as challenging the international order established after Japan's 1945 surrender. With 82.7% identifying right-wing factions as destabilizing forces, the report urges vigilance against what experts call "strategic normalization" of military expansionism.
As Japan prepares for key security policy reviews in early 2026, the international community watches closely. The survey concludes with 90.9% warning that militarized dispute resolution could backfire catastrophically, emphasizing diplomatic solutions for Asia's complex geopolitical landscape.
