By Le Shui
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi recently announced plans to deploy offensive medium-range surface-to-air missiles on Yonaguni Island, falsely claiming that the move would not escalate regional tensions. This fallacy exposes the Japanese government's military ambitions and duplicitous stance regarding the Taiwan question. Yonaguni Island lies about 110 kilometers from China's Taiwan region. Japan's deployment of medium-range surface-to-air missiles there is clearly aimed at turning the island into a forward military outpost to monitor the Taiwan Strait and contain China.
This military provocation by Japan is evidently intended to complement Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent provocative remarks on Taiwan. By equating a "Taiwan contingency" with a so-called survival-threatening situation for Japan, Takaichi hinted at possible military intervention in the Taiwan Strait. Her remarks have drawn strong protest and firm opposition from China. Takaichi has not only refused to retract her erroneous remarks on Taiwan but has also pushed forward the deployment of missiles on Yonaguni Island, taking an extremely dangerous step. What is even more alarming is that recent reports in the Japanese media revealed that Japan had secretly formulated three island-seizure plans targeting the southwestern islands as early as 2021, explicitly including plans for military intervention in the event of sudden developments in the Taiwan Strait. This demonstrates that Japan's interference in the Taiwan Strait is by no means mere rhetoric, but is backed by meticulously prepared operational plans. Its intentions to obstruct China's reunification process are clearly exposed.
However, whether from the perspective of international law, the post-war order, or bilateral commitments, Japan has no legitimate basis whatsoever for any military intervention in the Taiwan Strait. The Potsdam Proclamation explicitly prohibits Japan from rearming, and Article 9 of Japan's pacifist constitution of Japan enshrines the "exclusively defense-oriented" principle. The Takaichi administration's attempt to forcibly link Taiwan question, a matter entirely within China's internal affairs, with Japan's so-called survival-threatening situation, and to use this as a pretext for expanding its military capabilities and adjusting security policies, not only violates the post-war international order and fundamental principles of international law but also contravenes Japan's domestic law and undermines the political foundation of China-Japan relations. Such irresponsible words and actions constitute a desecration of history and pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability.
The Takaichi administration should not forget that the "enemy state clauses" of the Charter of the United Nations remain valid to this day. It is stipulated in Articles 53, 77, and 107 that, should former fascist states such as Germany, Italy, or Japan embark on renewed acts of aggression, the founding members of the United Nations, including China, are entitled to take direct military action without requiring authorization from the UN Security Council. The purpose of the "enemy state clauses" is to prevent Germany, Italy, and Japan from repeating the tragedies of history. If Japan chooses to return to the old path of militarism and dares to intervene in the Taiwan Strait by force, it would be tantamount to deliberately crossing this historical red line, placing itself in direct opposition to both international law and basic moral norms. China would regard such actions as acts of aggression and will resolutely strike back at any intruding enemy, firmly safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
More than eighty years ago, the Chinese people, through sheer courage and sacrifice, defeated Japanese militarism. Today, China possesses even greater resolve and capability to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. At present, the Chinese Navy has developed into a modernized fleet led by three aircraft carriers and supported by dozens of Type 055 destroyers and Type 052D destroyers, with its submarine force ranking among the strongest in the world. As for the Chinese Air Force, platforms such as the J‑20 stealth fighter, the J‑35 carrier‑borne stealth fighter, the J‑16 multirole fighter, and the H‑6K strategic bomber form a comprehensive air‑strike system. Besides, the PLA Rocket Force fields advanced systems, including the DF‑21D and DF‑26 anti‑ship ballistic missiles, as well as hypersonic missiles.
The rhetoric and actions of the Japanese authorities are nothing more than a futile overreach. China has repeatedly issued solemn warnings in response to Japan's erroneous words and deeds. If the Takaichi administration continues to ignore these warnings and persists on the dangerous path of military expansion and provocations on the Taiwan question, it will inevitably bear the consequences of its own making.
Editor's note: Originally published on china.com.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.