Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi led the Liberal Democratic Party to a historic victory in the lower house election on the 8th, winning an absolute majority alone. In response, former Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin called this a “foolish public opinion” and stated that strategic confrontation between China and Japan has already formed. Hu Xijin also said, “Japan as a country is basically finished,” and “Little Japan is just a minor player outside the mainstream platform where China interacts with major world powers. It’s already no different from the Philippines.”
On the evening of the 9th, Hu Xijin posted an article on his personal Weibo, saying that he saw some comments claiming Takaichi Sanae and the LDP’s landslide victory represented Japanese public opinion. Hu Xijin said, “Nonsense, of course the election result is public opinion, but it can be foolish public opinion. Takaichi Sanae has only been in office for four months, and the LDP’s support rate is far lower than her personal approval rating. She just played the crowd, and over two-thirds of the seats went to the LDP. What stable and positive society would suddenly flip like a flock of sheep from one side to the other?”
As for external views attributing part of Takaichi and the LDP’s victory to Beijing’s strong sanctions on Japan, Hu Xijin said, “China cannot possibly influence Japan’s election from the outside. We haven’t even managed to significantly influence Taiwan’s elections, let alone Japan’s.”
He stated that China’s sanctions on Takaichi Sanae and her government were very necessary. “We are establishing a norm for them, drawing a red line. After Takaichi’s strong victory this time, her actions regarding Taiwan will, in all likelihood, be somewhat restrained, because China’s previous sanctions made her feel the pain. Otherwise, this person with no sense of her own limitations would only become even more reckless.”
Hu Xijin pointed out that a strategic confrontation between China and Japan has already been formed. This confrontation is a huge matter for Japan, but only a strategic detail for China. “Just drag it out,” he said, as long as both sides don’t go to war, that’s the bottom line. If Japan dares to push forward into military conflict with China, “then we’ll beat it hard.”
Japan Is Jealous of China’s Rise
“In my opinion, Japan as a country is basically finished—not only is its population seriously aging, but its scale isn’t large. Their anti-China sentiment is, firstly, out of fear of China’s power and possible retaliation; and, secondly, out of jealousy at China’s economic and technological rise.” “The reason voters handed the country to such an obviously extreme figure as Takaichi, on the strength of her so-called ‘personal charisma,’ is fundamentally that Japanese society is panicked and grasping at straws in desperation.”
He emphasized at the end, “China should focus on developing our new technologies, earnestly solving our own problems, and continuously strengthening our national defense. Little Japan is just a minor role outside the mainstream platforms where China engages with major world powers. It is already no different from the Philippines.”