By Xu Yizhen
许怡真
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently made provocative remarks concerning the Taiwan question, implying the possible military intervention in the cross-Straits situation. Subsequently, the Japanese government has taken a series of retrogressive steps, including raising the country's defense expenditure to 2% of its GDP ahead of schedule in fiscal year 2025, seeking to deploy offensive weapons on its southwest islands near the Taiwan region, and pushing forward the export of lethal weapons. All these moves run counter to Japan's pacifist constitution. Such dangerous actions not only gravely undermine China-Japan relations and disrupt the post-war international order but also pose a serious threat to peace and stability in Asia and beyond. Japan's attempt to turn back the wheel of history in the security field will ultimately harm its own interests.
近日，继日本首相高市早苗公然抛出涉台挑衅言论、暗示武力介入台海局势后，日本政府又接连做出一系列倒行逆施之举：批准补充预算案，将2025财年防卫开支占国内生产总值的比例提升至2%；企图在与台湾邻近的西南诸岛部署进攻性武器；推动杀伤性武器出口……凡此种种危险行径，无一不与“和平宪法”背道而驰。这不仅严重冲击中日关系，破坏战后国际秩序，更对亚洲乃至世界和平稳定构成严重威胁。这种开历史倒车的挑衅行径，终将反噬自身。
On China-Japan relations, turning back the wheel of history is unacceptable. Japan explicitly acknowledged the one-China principle when normalizing diplomatic relations with China in 1972. Since then, the four political documents between China and Japan have provided clear provisions on the Taiwan question, constituting solemn political commitments made by the Japanese government. In late October, Sanae Takaichi herself stated that Japan would adhere to the position on the Taiwan question outlined in the 1972 Japan-China Joint Statement. Yet shortly afterward, despite her earlier remarks still echoing, she reversed position and put forward the absurd claim that a "Taiwan contingency" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation." The right-wing forces in Japan, represented by Sanae Takaichi, attempt to contain China with Taiwan. Such moves blatantly run counter to the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, gravely undermine the political foundation of bilateral relations, and have aroused strong indignation among the Chinese people. China cherishes peace and honors its commitments, but on issues of principle concerning national sovereignty and territorial integrity, anyone attempting to challenge the bottom line of the Chinese people will be met with firm and resolute countermeasures.
在中日关系上，不容开历史倒车。1972年中日邦交正常化之际，日本即已宣布承认一个中国原则。此后，中日四个政治文件对台湾问题作出的明确规定，更是日本政府作出的政治承诺。高市早苗本人在10月底还曾表示：“在台湾问题上，日本将坚持1972年日中联合声明中的立场。”然而，言犹在耳，她却出尔反尔，抛出“台湾有事”可能构成“存亡危机事态”的荒谬论调。以高市早苗为代表的日本右翼势力，企图“以台制华”，其行径不仅公然违背了中日四个政治文件的精神，更严重损害了中日关系政治基础，激起中国人民的强烈愤慨。中国爱好和平、重信守义，但在事关国家主权和领土完整的大是大非问题上，任何人妄想挑战中国人民底线，必将遭到中方的迎头痛击！
A series of instruments with legal effect under international law, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, all contain explicit legal provisions prohibiting Japan from rearmament. Japan itself pledged in the pacifist constitution that "the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes." These provisions constitute binding international legal obligations that Japan must faithfully observe. Taiwan's restoration to China is an outcome of the WWII victory and part and parcel of the postwar international order. However, to this day, Sanae Takaichi chooses to turn a blind eye to the series of instruments with legal effect under international law, while deliberately highlighting the illegal and invalid Treaty of San Francisco, even attempting to stir up the so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan" argument. Such a position is a grave error compounded by further mistake. Japan's disregard for the authority of the UN and its open challenge to the post-war international order and fundamental norms of international law constitute a dangerous retrogressive trend that will certainly be met with strong opposition and firm counteraction from the international community.
《开罗宣言》《波茨坦公告》《日本投降书》等国际法律文件明确禁止日本重新武装，而日本也在其“和平宪法”中郑重承诺“永远放弃以国权发动的战争、武力威胁或武力行使作为解决国际争端的手段”。这些，都是日本必须承担的国际法义务。台湾回归中国，是二战胜利成果和战后国际秩序的重要组成部分。然而，时至今日，高市早苗对这一系列具有充分国际法效力的文件避而不谈，却唯独突出非法无效的“旧金山和约”，甚至妄图煽炒所谓“台湾地位未定论”。这无疑是错上加错！日本无视联合国权威，公然挑战战后国际秩序和国际法基本准则。这股危险的逆流，必将遭到国际社会的强烈反对与坚决遏阻。
On the path of peaceful development, turning back the wheel of history is unacceptable. Japan's post-war economic recovery and prosperity were made possible precisely because the country chose the path of peaceful development and made a solemn pledge to the world that it would "never wage war again." This commitment is the cornerstone of Japan's return to the international community and the fundamental guarantee of its standing in the world. However, the right-wing forces in Japan are attempting to undermine this cornerstone. Since the end of WWII, right-wing forces in Japan have never abandoned the pursuit of turning Japan into a major political and military power. They have gone to great lengths to deny and even glorify the history of aggression, while intentionally hollowing out the pacifist constitution and attempting to breach the "exclusively defense-oriented" principle, in an effort to replay the old script of militarism and accelerate Japan's transformation toward a nation "capable of waging war." The peoples of Asian countries, including China, and indeed of the world, will never forget the grave calamities caused by Japanese militarism, and will never allow the specter of militarism to once again bring disaster upon humanity.
在和平发展道路上，不容开历史倒车。战后日本之所以能够实现经济复苏与繁荣，根本在于其选择了和平发展之路，并向世界作出了“永不再战”的郑重承诺。这一承诺，是日本重返国际社会的基石，也是其立足世界的根本保障。然而，日本右翼势力却一直试图摧毁这一基石。二战结束以来，日本右翼势力从未放弃“政治大国梦”和“军事大国梦”。他们极力否认和美化侵略历史，还处心积虑地架空“和平宪法”，突破“专守防卫”原则，妄图重演军国主义的老剧本，加速迈向“能战之国”。包括中国在内的亚洲乃至世界人民，永远不会忘记日本军国主义制造的惨重灾难，绝不允许日本军国主义幽灵再次为祸人间！
The alarm that tragedy must not be repeated has already been sounded. If Japan insists on reversing the course of history, reneging on its commitment to peaceful development, and embarking once again on the dangerous path of militarist expansion, thereby undermining the post-war international order, it will ultimately lead only to its self-destruction.
警钟已经敲响，悲剧不能重演。如果日本执意要开历史倒车，背弃和平发展的承诺，重走军国主义侵略扩张的邪路，破坏战后国际秩序，最终只能是自取灭亡。
