Takaichi must stop rubbing salt in wounds and retract erroneous, dangerous remarks: China Daily editorial

The erroneous and dangerous remarks that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made on Nov 7 concerning Taiwan, in which she blatantly pushed for Japan's potential armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, have sparked strong opposition from the Chinese government and widespread outrage among the Chinese people.

Her statements, which she has refused to retract, not only infringe upon China's core interests and fundamentally undermine the political foundation of China-Japan relations, but also threaten to destabilize peace and stability in the region. Peace-loving people from around the world should join hands to oppose any attempt by Japanese right-wing forces represented by Takaichi to change the post-World War II international order.

If the Takaichi government truly seeks to foster a constructive and stable relationship with China, it must first acknowledge its historical responsibilities and retract Takaichi's remarks.

The status of Taiwan is clear and unalterable: The island is an inalienable part of China and the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government of China; it exercises full sovereignty over the whole country, which includes sovereignty over Taiwan. This is not merely a political stance but a cornerstone of the postwar international order. The 1972 Joint Communique between China and Japan, along with subsequent political documents between the two countries, explicitly acknowledges this. The Japanese leader's recent rhetoric belies these commitments and has sent misleading signals to the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces on the island.

Takaichi's openly peddling the fallacy of "Taiwan contingency" is an alarming development which echoes a bygone era where Japan, driven by expansionist ambitions, justified military aggression under the guise of Japan's "survival". Such rhetoric not only challenges the postwar international order established by the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, but also the United Nations, by disregarding UN General Assembly Resolution 2758.

All this should set alarm bells ringing, especially since Takaichi has been a frequent visitor to the Yasukuni Shrine, where Japanese Class-A war criminals from World War II are enshrined, denied Japan's past acts of aggression, and pushed for revising Japan's "three Non-Nuclear Principles" to pave the way for Japan to resurrect the ghost of militarism that once caused devastation in Asia.

The issue of abandoned chemical weapons in China remains a poignant reminder of Japan's wartime atrocities. Despite repeated commitments to dispose of these weapons, progress has been slow and insufficient, posing ongoing risks to Chinese citizens and the environment. This lack of accountability not only hinders reconciliation, but also casts a shadow over Japan's honoring of its historical obligations.

The international community has voiced support for China's call for Japan to expedite the destruction of these hazardous remnants. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has emphasized that global chemical disarmament cannot be complete until these weapons are neutralized. Japan must take these concerns seriously, increase transparency and honor its commitments to ensure safety and build trust.

The painful memories of Japanese aggression during World War II, including the atrocities committed in China, which resulted in more than 35 million casualties in the country, are still vivid scars on the national psyche. Attempts to downplay or deny these historical facts only serve to reopen old wounds and hinder genuine reconciliation. The Chinese people, who paid a bloody price to defeat Japanese aggression in history, will never tolerate any attempt to separate Taiwan from the motherland again.

For Japan to truly contribute to peace and stability, it must adopt a forward-looking approach grounded in historical truth and mutual respect. This involves the Japanese leader retracting erroneous statements about Taiwan, adhering to international agreements and engaging in dialogue based on equality and sincerity.