Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi'sprovocative remarks on China's Taiwan recently drew heavy criticism from officials, experts and citizens domestically.

日本首相高市早苗近日就中國臺灣問題發表的挑釁言論，引發日本國內官員、專家及民眾的強烈批評。

These statements misjudged Japan's current security environment and constituted a severe violation of the one-China policy, which could undermine the foundation of mutual trust between China and Japan, and even trigger regional security risks, they noted.

這些言論誤判了日本當前的安全環境，嚴重違反了一個中國政策，可能動搖中日互信基礎，甚至引發地區安全風險。

On Saturday evening, about 100 Japanese citizens gathered in front of the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo to protest against Takaichi's erroneous remarks and demand her resignation. The demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Retract your remarks, apologize immediately", "Takaichi step down", and "Those who cannot conduct diplomacy should not be prime minister".

週六晚間，約100名日本民眾聚集在東京首相官邸前，抗議高市早苗的錯誤言論並要求其辭職。示威者高呼“收回言論，立即道歉”、“高市下臺”、“不懂外交者不該當首相”等口號。

Takaichi claimed at a meeting on Nov 7 at the Diet, Japan's legislature, that a Taiwan emergency involving the use of military vessels and military force from the Chinese mainland could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan. According to legislation, Japan's Self-Defense Forces could exercise the right of collective self-defense if such a situation is recognized as "survival-threatening".

高市早苗11月7日在日本國會會議上聲稱，若臺灣地區發生涉及中國大陸動用軍艦和武力的緊急事態，可能構成對日本的“生存威脅局面”。根據日本法律規定，若此類事態被認定為“生存威脅”，日本自衛隊可行使集體自衛權。

Ukeru Magosaki, director of the East Asian Community Institute and a former senior official at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told China Daily that if Japan were to take military action in a contingency involving Taiwan, it would be regarded as interference in China's internal affairs and would inevitably trigger responses from China.

東亞共同體研究所所長、日本外務省前高官孫崎享向《中國日報》表示，若日本在涉及臺灣的突發事件中采取軍事行動，將被視為干涉中國內政，勢必引發中國的應對措施。

"From the perspective of Japan's national security, this would yield no positive outcome," Magosaki said.

孫崎享表示：“從日本國家安全的角度來看，這不會產生任何積極結果。”

Magosaki warned that Takaichi's recent remarks not only "undermined the established political principles" but also "seriously distorted the existing mutual trust" between Japan and China.

孫崎享警告稱，高市早苗最近的言論不僅“破壞了既定的政治原則”，還“嚴重扭曲了中日兩國現有的相互信任”。

Magosaki said this trust is based onthe 1972 Japan-China joint statement, which acknowledges Taiwan as an inalienable part of China, and emphasized that mutual trust is one of the most important aspects of Japan-China relations.

孫崎享表示，這種信任基於1972年《中日聯合聲明》，該聲明承認臺灣是中國不可分割的一部分，並強調相互信任是中日關系最重要的方面之一。

"Takaichi's comments are entirely detrimental and bring no benefits. As a result, the relationship between Japan and its neighboring country China is further strained," he added.

他補充道：“高市早苗的言論完全有害無益，導致日本與鄰國中國的關系進一步緊張。”

Hiroshi Shiratori, a political science professor at Hosei University in Tokyo, said Takaichi's statements "exaggerate and even misjudge Japan's current security environment" and clearly deviate from Japan's self-claimed long-standing identity as a "peaceful nation" and the pacifist principles enshrined in its constitution.

東京法政大學政治學教授白鳥浩指出，高市早苗的言論“誇大了甚至誤判了日本當前的安全環境”，明顯偏離了日本自稱的“和平國家”傳統定位及其憲法所載的和平主義原則。

Within this policy framework, discussions of deploying Japan's Self-Defense Forces in the event of a military intervention in Taiwan "not only depart from pacifist principles but also violate Japan's long-established diplomatic approach toward China", Shiratori said.

白鳥浩表示，在此政策框架下，關於在臺灣發生軍事干預時部署日本自衛隊的討論“不僅背離了和平主義原則，也違背了日本長期以來對華外交方針”。

Japan and China's leaders had only recently had a long-awaited meeting, and it is regrettable that such remarks at this moment could damage bilateral relations, Shiratori said.

白鳥浩表示，中日兩國領導人剛剛舉行了期待已久的會晤，此時發表此類言論可能損害雙邊關系，令人遺憾。

He said that Takaichi's comments not only affect Japan-China relations but could also place the security of the entire East Asian region at unnecessary risk.

他表示，高市早苗的言論不僅影響中日關系，還可能使整個東亞地區的安全面臨不必要的風險。

Despite China's serious demarches and protests, Takaichi refused to retract her remarks that imply the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait.

儘管中國提出嚴正交涉和抗議，高市早苗仍拒絕收回暗示可能對臺灣海峽采取武力干預的言論。

Takaichi's erroneous statements and actions also sparked criticism from multiple Japanese lawmakers who called on her to retract her remarks.

高市早苗的錯誤言論和行為也引發了多名日本國會議員的批評，他們要求她收回相關言論。

Successive warnings

一系列的警告

Former Japanese prime ministers Yukio Hatoyama and Shigeru Ishiba also issued successive warnings regarding her provocative comments.

日本前首相鳩山由紀夫和石破茂也相繼就她的挑釁言論發出警告。

On Thursday, speaking on a TBS radio program, Ishiba said Takaichi's remarks were "very close to claiming that a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency", noting that previous governments have consistently avoided making definitive declarations on how the government would respond to specific scenarios regarding the Taiwan question.

週四，石破茂在TBS電臺節目中表示，高市早苗的言論“幾乎等同於宣稱臺灣有事即日本有事”，並指出歷屆政府始終避免就臺灣問題具體情境如何應對作出明確表態。

Hatoyama addressed Takaichi's comments on X on Tuesday, emphasizing that Japan should not interfere in China's internal affairs.

鳩山由紀夫週二回應高市早苗在X平臺的言論，強調日本不應干涉中國內政。

Tomoko Tamura, leader of the Japanese Communist Party, in the House of Representatives Budget Committee on Tuesday demanded that Takaichi retract the statement she made in the same committee. Tamura asserted that what the prime minister should do is "not to stoke crisis, but to make diplomatic efforts to eliminate the risk of war".

日本共產黨領導人田村智子週二在眾議院預算委員會上要求高市早苗收回她在該委員會發表的言論。田村智子強調，首相應當做的是“不煽動危機，而是通過外交努力消除戰爭風險”。

Mizuho Fukushima, leader of Japan's Social Democratic Party, said on Friday that Takaichi's view of a "Taiwan contingency" as a "survival-threatening situation" is "completely illogical".

日本社會民主黨領導人福島瑞穗週五表示，高市早苗將“臺灣突發狀況”視為“生存威脅”的觀點“完全不合邏輯”。

provocative remarks

挑釁言論

the 1972 Japan-China joint statement

1972年《中日聯合聲明》