The Sound of Jun | Creating Waves and Making Mistakes Again and Again Will Only Lead Japan into an Abyss

Stirring up trouble repeatedly will only plunge Japan into an abyss.

——Commentary on the Japanese destroyer "Hayabusa" transiting the Taiwan Strait

On April 17, the Japanese destroyer "Hayabusa" transited the Taiwan Strait. This deliberate provocation, marked by repeated mistakes, once again exposes the dangerous plot of certain individuals in Japan who attempt to militarily intervene in the Taiwan Strait and undermine peace and stability in the region. The Eastern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to monitor the Japanese vessel throughout its journey, effectively maintaining control. Japan, which is accelerating its "remilitarization," continues to stir up trouble regarding the Taiwan issue, only to fall into an abyss under the influence of extreme right-wing elements.

The Taiwan issue concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and is a political foundation for China-Japan relations, representing a red line that cannot be crossed. However, shortly after taking office, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made erroneous statements regarding Taiwan, openly declaring that "if there is an issue in Taiwan, it is an issue for Japan," provoking strong countermeasures from China, yet she remains obstinate and unrepentant. This time, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces' vessels are again causing trouble in the Taiwan Strait, sending the wrong signal to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, seriously threatening China's sovereignty and security, and severely damaging the political foundation of bilateral relations, which will only incite greater indignation among the Chinese people.

From a routing perspective, the passage of Japanese Self-Defense Forces' vessels through the Taiwan Strait is full of provocative intent. The ship is heading south to the Philippines to participate in the "Shoulder to Shoulder" exercise, and the shortest route would be through the Pacific waters east of Taiwan; transiting the Taiwan Strait is merely a detour. This further proves that the previous claims by Japanese officials that they would "continue to promote strategic reciprocity and build a constructive and stable bilateral relationship" lack any realistic basis and are nothing more than false signals released to the outside world.

Even more outrageous is that April 17 is the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Through this unequal treaty, Japan forcibly annexed Taiwan and subsequently imposed a bloody colonial rule for half a century. Japan bears historical guilt towards the Chinese people regarding the Taiwan issue and should deeply reflect and act cautiously. However, Japanese right-wing forces have not only failed to learn from historical lessons but have also intensified their collusion with "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, repeatedly provoking issues regarding Taiwan. Now, Japan has chosen the date of April 17 to send Self-Defense Forces vessels through the Taiwan Strait, which not only plays with the boundaries of the Taiwan issue but also greatly harms the feelings of the Chinese people, further raising global awareness of Japan's "new militarism" and solidifying China's determination to retaliate.

Regional countries and the international community must be vigilant, as Japan is pushing for constitutional amendments through various actions, revealing its ambitions for militarism. In recent years, under the push of right-wing forces, Japan has continuously broken the post-war system's restrictions, deviating from its identity as a peaceful nation, and has been racing down the path of military expansion, even attempting to modify its pacifist constitution to bring about substantial changes to the post-war peace system. Recently, Japan has been accelerating its "remilitarization," vigorously promoting the deployment of long-range offensive missiles, relaxing restrictions on the export of lethal weapons, significantly increasing its defense budget, and reorganizing the Self-Defense Forces towards an "offensive" posture. Such regressive actions have even met with considerable opposition within Japan. In this context, amplifying the "China threat," deliberately provoking incidents, and creating a "security crisis" have become common tactics for the Japanese authorities to manipulate public opinion. After the incident of the Japanese vessel transiting the Taiwan Strait, Japan even pretended to be a "victim," sensationalizing China's legitimate control measures and peddling the narrative of "Japan being coerced by China in the Taiwan Strait." This trick is undoubtedly aimed at providing a so-called "realistic basis" for its military expansion and even constitutional amendments.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Far East International Military Tribunal. Only by jointly safeguarding historical truths and defending human conscience and justice can we make the specter of militarism nowhere to hide, allow the flame of peace to be passed down through generations, and prevent humanity from repeating the mistakes of war. We must sternly warn Japan that deliberate provocation is destined to fail, and misjudging the situation and making repeated mistakes will lead to its own downfall into an abyss. Today's China will never swallow the bitter fruit of territorial division again. No one, no force should ever fantasize about separating Taiwan from China, and no one should underestimate the strong determination, unwavering will, and powerful capability of the Chinese people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Chinese military will always maintain a high level of readiness, resolutely countering all provocative actions and foreign interference plots, and firmly safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.