The aftermath of Prime Minister Sanae Koichi’s (64) remarks about the “Taiwan contingency” does not seem to have subsided yet. [Photos] “You’re not Japanese?”A leading commentator who defended Prime Minister Taka ichi At a November 7 meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, in response to a question from Katsuya Okada (72) of the Democratic Party of Japan’s Constitutional Democratic Party, Takaichi said, “If [China] uses warships and the use of force is involved, this could be considered an existential crisis situation no matter how you think about it. If the situation is recognized as an existential crisis situation, he suggested the possibility of exercising the right of collective self-defense and using military force. The Chinese government, which considers Taiwan an “internal affair,” reacted furiously to this, and has already exerted various “pressures,” including calling for self-restraint in visiting Japan and informing the Japanese side that imports of Japanese marine products (excluding products from 10 prefectures) would be suspended again. At the G8 meeting of heads of state and government that took place from January 22 to 23, Takaichi was unable to speak with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Furthermore, “that animal” that boasts of its popularity among the Japanese people is also about to be affected. The panda is a symbol of friendship between Japan and China. In 1972, when Japan-China diplomatic relations were normalized, two pandas, Kang Kang and Lan Lan, were presented to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, and since then they have regularly come to Japan, creating a huge boom. Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei at the Ueno Zoo are scheduled to be returned to China next February, and Japan has requested the loan of a new panda, but this is said to be less likely depending on the future situation. The Chinese Communist Party-affiliated media also reported that “the Chinese side may stop lending new giant pandas to Japan,” indicating that they are prepared to exert “pressure” even on the pandas that the Japanese love, and the public is highly interested. (Political Correspondent) On the information program “Hiruobi” (TBS) broadcast on the 24th, the panda issue was also mentioned in a special feature on the worsening Japan-China relations. When asked by host Toshiaki Megumi about his opinion on the issue, rakugo storyteller Shiraku Tachikawa (62), who serves as Monday’s commentator, said, “Some people say it’s outrageous because Mr. Takaichi’s comments will stop the pandas from coming. If Mr. Takaichi’s statement is clearly wrong, it is no wonder they say so, but it is not wrong,” he said, defending Mr. Takaichi. He continued, “Assuming the worst, he said the right of collective self-defense. He did not say that again on a high note after becoming prime minister, but has said it repeatedly since the Abe administration. He criticized the Rikken, who had questioned him, and then went on to say, “So, why did you have Mr. Takaichi come up with the idea of collective self-defense? He then criticized the Rikken, saying, “So, why are you blaming Mr. Takaichi there? I understand that China is saying that. But if there are so many people like that in Japan, it makes me wonder why you are not Japanese. After that, he continued, “Of course, Mr. Eto of Hiruobi will be sad if the pandas stop coming, and my family will all be sad, so I really don’t like it, but I don’t have a choice. But it can’t be helped, because China is harassing us. China is the bully and we are the bullied. Finally, he said, “If we have to pay 1 billion yen in rental fees, let’s think positively and allocate that amount to other animals. If we don’t think in that way, I think it will become a strange story. It is strange that everything is being attributed to Mr. Takaichi’s comments,” he concluded.
Tokyo, JP