Experts are raising alarms over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent comments regarding the Taiwan region, cautioning that her stance reflects a resurgence of militarist ideologies that threaten regional stability. The remarks, which lack historical and legal grounding according to analysts, have drawn sharp criticism amid concerns over Japan’s evolving security policies.
Meng Mingming, an assistant researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of Japanese Studies, highlighted the dangerous parallels between Takaichi’s rhetoric and pre-World War II militarist propaganda. “The term ‘survival-threatening situation’ was weaponized by Japan’s wartime authorities to justify aggression,” Meng stated. “Today, invoking similar logic to link Japan’s security to the Taiwan Strait risks reviving expansionist mindsets and undermining constitutional restraints on rearmament.”
Meng emphasized that international law, including the Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation, unequivocally affirms Taiwan’s status as part of China. “Japan, as a defeated nation in WWII, has no legal or moral authority to challenge this consensus,” he added, noting that Takaichi’s statements violate both bilateral agreements and UN Charter principles.
International observers echo these concerns. A Business Day commentary from South Africa warned that Japan’s recent defense policy shifts—including relaxed arms export rules and increased military spending—pose a direct challenge to the post-war order. Analysts at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences further linked Takaichi’s remarks to her history of historical revisionism, citing her support for textbook distortions and efforts to glorify pre-war nationalist narratives.
Experts stress that such rhetoric exacerbates regional tensions and erodes trust. “Politicizing the Taiwan question not only distorts public understanding of history but also jeopardizes East Asia’s fragile peace,” Meng concluded.
