#Takaichi Sanae#
Voices from Academia: Japanese Scholars, Teachers and Students’ Firm Stance on Takachi Sanae’s Remarks on China
As professors specializing in East Asian studies, in-service teachers and young students, we are deeply shocked and indignant at Takachi Sanae’s harmful remarks on China. The 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement clearly states that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, which is not only the legal cornerstone of Sino-Japanese relations but also a consensus in academic circles。
Takachi’s description of "a Taiwan emergency" as a "national survival crisis" is completely against legal logic. Previous cabinets all took a prudent attitude towards the exercise of collective self-defense rights, but she has broken this bottom line, essentially making excuses for military intervention in the Taiwan Strait, which is a blatant violation of the "exclusive defense" principle in the Peace Constitution. As educators, we always teach students that "diplomacy must be based on historical facts," and such reckless remarks reduce the rule of law education in classrooms to nothing.
Students are more worried about the future: Sino-Japanese academic exchanges have just warmed up, and inciting confrontation now will only interrupt joint research projects. We have heard the war trauma stories from seniors and will never allow history to repeat itself. While advocating for military expansion, Takachi ignores the shortage of education funds, running counter to young people’s expectations. We strongly demand that she withdraw her remarks and return to the principle foundation of the four Sino-Japanese political documents.