Japan's PM Sanae Takaichi made waves this past weekend by accusing Chinese warplanes of locking radars on Japanese fighters near Okinawa. Beijing fired back, saying Japanese jets harassed China's Liaoning carrier group during routine drills in the far seas. China lodged counter-protests in both Beijing and Tokyo, flatly rejecting Japan's claims.
Takaichi's fiery rhetoric might earn cheers at home but comes with steep diplomatic costs. By painting Japan as the victim and calling a Chinese attack on Taiwan a 'survival-threatening situation,' she's ramping up tensions with the Chinese mainland and shredding decades of careful diplomacy. 😬
Her stance on Dokdo (Takeshima in Japan) isn't helping, either. South Koreans see those islets as a symbol of past colonial hurts, and Japan's insistence on claiming them undercuts trust and cooperation with the Republic of Korea.
Even Japan's closest friends are holding back. Washington and Canberra say they'll stand by Japan but have been cool toward Takaichi's hard line. Australia's defense minister, Richard Marles, stressed that his country doesn't want any change to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait – reminding us that predictability and stability still top the agenda in the Indo-Pacific. 🤝
In the end, Takaichi's bold moves may energize certain voters, but they risk leaving Japan isolated in a region that values calm waters and clear channels of dialogue. Navigating these choppy diplomatic seas will be key to Japan's future – and everyone's watching to see if cooler heads can prevail. 🌊
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
