Xinhua Commentary: Takaichi's dangerous provocations expose Japan's right-wing revisionism, resurgent militarism

TOKYO, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has once again exposed the dangerous pathology of Japan's historical revisionism and resurgent militarism.

By making blatantly false and inflammatory remarks about China's Taiwan and even threatening to use force under the fabricated pretext of a so-called "survival-threatening situation," she is dragging Japan toward a perilous confrontation it can neither justify nor withstand.

Takaichi's war-mongering rhetoric is not an isolated lapse in judgment; it is the latest manifestation of a deeply rooted far-right mindset that still idolizes Japan's militarist past. Her remarks reveal an entrenched arrogance, a fundamental misreading of China, and an alarming refusal to accept the realities of today's Asia.

For decades, Japan's right-wing politicians have remained stuck in a century-old worldview, unable -- or unwilling -- to move beyond the mindset that once fueled Japan's aggression. Their perceptions of China are defined not by facts or contemporary developments, but by nostalgia for imperialist ambitions, denial of wartime atrocities, and disregard for the solemn commitments Japan made when normalizing relations with China.

They turned blinded to the opportunities brought by China's peaceful development and instead cling to the toxic fantasy of containing China's development.

In their political calculus, manufacturing a "China threat" is a tried-and-true tactic: a tool to whip up domestic fear, justify breaking defense constraints, and revive the militarist impulses that once brought immeasurable suffering to China and other Asian nations. Takaichi's reckless invocation of "survival-threatening situations" fits squarely within this playbook.

The Taiwan question is a red line that must not be crossed and forms the political foundation of China-Japan relations. As a Japanese leader, Takaichi has failed to bear responsibility for upholding the commitments made by her predecessors and seeks to dismantle them for personal political gain.

Takaichi has long maintained improper contacts with "Taiwan independence" separatists. Most recently, she also engineered the awarding an order to an individual who openly advocates "Taiwan independence" -- a move that raises serious questions about whether Japan is now deliberately encouraging and emboldening such forces.

Her meddling in the Taiwan question once again exposes the historical revisionism driving Japan's right-wing forces. It shows that they are still unwilling to abandon the delusion of resurrecting the militarist past and reasserting influence over Taiwan.

Takaichi must devote her energy to understanding history, revisiting the four political documents that define China-Japan relations, and learning how to coexist peacefully with neighboring countries. Her dangerous game of hyping a "Taiwan contingency" as a "Japan contingency" is nothing short of playing with fire.

Should she persist on this misguided path, she will bear full responsibility for the consequences. Any provocative actions will inevitably be met with firm and resolute countermeasures from China. ■