An article in the PLA Daily warned that if Japan were to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait, the entire country could become a battlefield.
Xinmin Evening News
2025-11-16 11:41 Shanghai Xinmin Evening News official account focus on
On November 16, the
PLA Daily published an article on page 4 entitled "Calling for Military Intervention in the Taiwan Strait Situation Will Only Lead Japan Down a Path of No Return." The author is Xu Yongzhi of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. The article states that if Japan were to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait situation, the Japanese people and the nation would be plunged into disaster due to the Japanese government's extremely dangerous and erroneous decisions: first, it would worsen its surrounding environment; second, the entire country would risk becoming a battlefield; and third, it would once again be nailed to the pillar of historical shame. Where does Japan's "confidence" in intervening in the Taiwan Strait come from, given its delusional attempt to stop a chariot with its bare hands and its challenge to the post-war international order?
The full text follows—
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently made blatantly provocative remarks about Taiwan during a parliamentary debate. Despite strong protests from China, Takaichi refused to retract her erroneous statements. This marks the first time a sitting Japanese prime minister has explicitly stated the possibility of military intervention in the Taiwan Strait, confirming the containment-oriented nature of Japan's recent military buildup efforts and exposing the Japanese government's wolfish ambition to interfere in other countries' internal affairs through military means, in violation of its pacifist constitution. Japan's various erroneous actions, including its threats of military intervention in the Taiwan Strait, will only lead it down a path of no return.
In 2015, Japan passed new security legislation, allowing the Self-Defense Forces to conduct joint operations with foreign militaries. This effectively rendered the pacifist constitution, which prohibits Japan from engaging in war again, ineffective. In 2022, Japan passed new "Three Security Documents," including the National Security Strategy, setting the goal of preventing neighboring countries from unilaterally altering the status quo and, if necessary, using force to resolve situations in a way favorable to Japan. Japan began building a large-scale offensive military force and long-term, high-intensity combat capability. This effectively altered the pacifist constitution, which prohibits the deployment of offensive weapons. Based on these strategic documents, Japan is simultaneously developing or deploying more than ten types of anti-ship and land-attack missiles with ranges up to 3,000 kilometers, renovating military infrastructure nationwide, and stockpiling large quantities of ammunition.
Previously, when asked why it was strengthening its military, the Japanese government would use the excuse of "the severe security situation in the surrounding area" to argue that strengthening the military was only "for self-defense," which on the surface did not seem to deviate from the "exclusively defensive" principle established by the pacifist constitution.
According to media reports, Japan's 2022 military buildup plan is primarily based on simulations of potential military intervention in the Taiwan Strait. However, Japanese leaders have consistently remained ambiguous on the issue of military intervention. Japan plans to revise its new "Three Security Documents" by the end of 2026, further increasing military spending to strengthen its capabilities in using and responding to new types of warfare, such as unmanned equipment. Sanae Takaichi's blatant provocative remarks confirm Japan's clear intention to conduct a large-scale military buildup in violation of its pacifist constitution, and expose the lies previously claimed by the Japanese government. With Takaichi's statement, how will the Japanese government explain this new round of military expansion?
Whether it's violating the pacifist constitution by expanding its military or raising the so-called "existential crisis," Japanese politicians have failed to inform the Japanese people of the true costs. It is foreseeable that if Japan were to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait, both the Japanese people and the nation would be plunged into disaster due to the Japanese government's extremely dangerous and erroneous decisions.
First, it will worsen Japan's surrounding environment. If the Japanese government persists in its course and once again becomes an enemy of the Chinese people, it will only exacerbate China's vigilance towards Japan's foreign strategy, and constructive and stable Sino-Japanese relations will be out of the question.
Secondly, the entire country risks becoming a battlefield. Japan has converted dozens of airports and ports, stretching from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south, into dual-use military and civilian infrastructure. During a comprehensive military exercise in October of this year, the Self-Defense Forces used as many as 39 airports and ports for fighter jet takeoffs and landings and military transport. This demonstrates that if Japan intervenes in the Taiwan Strait, it will tie the entire nation to a self-destructive war machine.
Third, Japan will once again be nailed to the pillar of historical shame. The blatant provocations by Japanese politicians regarding Taiwan not only constitute a serious infringement on China's sovereignty but also give the international community a sense of the danger of Japan repeating the mistakes of militarism. Japan's war of aggression brought profound suffering to the people of Asian countries. As a defeated nation in World War II, Japan returned to China the territories it stole from China, including Taiwan. This is an inviolable victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and an important component of the post-war international order. Where does Japan's "confidence" in intervening in the Taiwan Strait come from, given its futile attempt to stop the tide and challenge the post-war international order?
Japan's attempts to intervene in the Taiwan Strait situation are not only a blatant trampling of international justice and an open provocation against the post-war international order, but also a serious damage to Sino-Japanese relations. The lessons of history are still fresh in our minds; if Japan fails to learn profound lessons from history and dares to take such risks, China will certainly deliver a resounding blow. After all, once someone starts playing with fire, how the fire spreads is not up to them to decide.
Xinmin Evening News (xmwb1929) compiled from PLA Daily and Xinhua Daily Telegraph
Edited by: Tang Mengjia
Editor: Zhou Chunsheng
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