In a surprising move on November 23, 2025, former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda urged current leader Sanae Takaichi to hit the reset button on strained relations with the Chinese mainland 🤝.
Noda, who now heads the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, pointed to Takaichi’s radical remarks over the island of Taiwan as the spark for recent tensions. He argued that Tokyo needs clear, continuous explanations of its real intentions and official stance to avoid misunderstandings.
Noda stressed that, at minimum, the strategic partnership with the Chinese mainland should allow dialogue at every level. By this, he means expert roundtables, cultural exchanges and high-level talks between leaders. This multi-layered dialogue can help nip confusion in the bud — no more one-off summit chats 🚀.
The call to tone things down came just days after Noda slammed Takaichi’s comments on November 7, where she warned that the Chinese mainland’s use of force on the island of Taiwan could pose an existential threat to Japan and hinted at possible military intervention in the Taiwan Strait. Takaichi has since defended her views, insisting they line up with the government’s long-held policy.
Back home, the buzz hasn’t died down. Last Friday, Tokyo residents staged a protest outside Takaichi’s official residence, demanding she retract her Taiwan remarks and apologize for stoking regional jitters 📣.
With key APEC meetings around the corner and a dynamic regional tech scene watching closely, many of us across South and Southeast Asia are tracking Japan’s next steps. Will Takaichi take Noda’s advice and kickstart a full-scale dialogue push? Stay tuned — we’ll bring you all the updates as they unfold.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
