Sino-Japanese relations remain tense as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi refuses to retract her “Taiwan contingency” remarks. Chinese military media have stated a firm opposition to the Japanese government’s use of American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles to threaten Asia-Pacific peace and stability, claiming that Tokyo’s acquisition of this offensive weapon shows it is recklessly speeding down the path of “remilitarization.”
The Chinese military newspaper PLA Daily’s Weibo account “Junzhengping Studio” published a commentary on Saturday (March 14) titled “Firmly Oppose the Japanese Government Using ‘Tomahawk’ to Threaten Asia-Pacific Peace and Stability.” The article pointed out that Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced on Friday (13th) that US-made Tomahawk and Norwegian-made JSM missiles have begun to be delivered to the Self-Defense Forces.
The commentary noted that this is the first time that offensive foreign-made missiles have been deployed in Japan, marking a dangerous step in Tokyo’s counterattack capability building. Claimed as defensive, in reality offensive—Tomahawk’s range exceeds 1,600 kilometers and JSM can also strike targets 500 kilometers away. Japan’s acquisition of such heavy weaponry signals it is recklessly heading down the path of remilitarization.
The commentary warned that the more turbulent the world becomes, the more precious Asia-Pacific peace will be. It also stated that Japan’s disregard for widespread international concerns and its claim that this move poses no threat to other countries is nothing but self-deception and deceiving others.
The commentary continued by saying that history has already proven that when offensive weapons fall into the hands of Japanese militarists, they are only used recklessly and without restraint, bringing deep disasters upon people around the world. The international community must be highly alert to Japan’s dangerous developments, work together to resist its emerging military expansion, and firmly safeguard the hard-won peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.
Last November, Takaichi’s mention of the “Taiwan contingency” in Japan’s Diet angered China, sending Sino-Japanese relations to a new low. In response, Beijing has countered across trade, military, and cultural exchanges, and has continued to launch media offensives demanding Takaichi retract the relevant comments.