Toru Hashimoto, 56, a lawyer who served as governor of Osaka Prefecture and mayor of Osaka City, updated his X (formerly Twitter) on March 17, referring to a visit to China by a senior Foreign Ministry official in response to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments regarding the Taiwan emergency. [Photo] Similarity? Birth New Prime Minister! Sanae-chan Red and White Manjuu” package In response to Prime Minister Takaichi’s statement at a Lower House Budget Committee meeting on March 7 that “Taiwan contingency could be an existential crisis situation,” Chinese Consul General to Osaka Xue Jian posted on X, “I will cut off your dirty head,” etc. On the 14th, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a warning to its citizens to refrain from visiting Japan for the time being as a countermeasure, and on the 17th, Masaaki Kanai, Director-General of the Asia and Oceania Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, visited China to discuss the issue with the Chinese side. Hashimoto quoted an article reporting Mr. Kanai’s visit to China as saying, “In the end, the current power relationship between Japan and China is that Japan goes to China to explain the situation. Hashimoto quoted an article reporting Director Kanai’s visit to China as saying, “In the end, it is the current power relationship between Japan and China that Japan will visit China to explain its position. Until we have power, we should not make a big fuss,” he continued, complaining about lawmakers and commentators who are blaming China on TV, radio programs, and social networking sites. He continued, “Japan has completely lost this fight as soon as we went to China to explain the situation. No amount of bluster at home is going to make a difference. How will the rest of the world view this situation? How will the rest of the world view this situation? They will no doubt see Japan as a country that was angered by China and went to China for an explanation. We must take a firm stand domestically! but it will not be accepted by the rest of the world. How uncool Japan is.” Referring to how other countries around the world view Japan, he added, “A true resolute response means negotiations in a third country, right? But the reality is that Japan cannot go that far with China. It is an ironclad rule of fighting that if you pick a fight without strength, you will lose completely. Japan should concentrate on building up its strength.
