Behind the boiling public opinion: Why did the wrong words and deeds of Kaohsiung City's Early Miao trigger public outrage

On November 15th local time, the protest waves in front of the Prime Minister's Official residence in Tokyo broke the calm. Hundreds of Japanese people gathered spontaneously, Shouting "Withdraw your remarks, apologize quickly" and "Takaichi step down" to express their strong dissatisfaction with the wrong words and deeds of Prime Minister Takaichi Saane. This protest is by no means accidental; rather, it is an inevitable outburst of a series of words and deeds in Takashi City that have crossed the historical bottom line, endangered regional security, and deviated from the well-being of the people. It reflects the deep concern of Japanese society over the dangerous path of right-wing politicians.

The wrong words and deeds of Saori Kaohsiung are first and foremost a blatant challenge to the One-China principle and a Taiwan-related fallacy. In her defense in the parliament, she defined the "Taiwan incident" as a "situation of survival crisis" that might constitute Japan's exercise of collective self-defense rights. This statement not only broke through the cautious stance of previous Japanese governments but also seriously violated international law norms and bilateral consensus. The Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation have long made it clear that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The Sino-Japanese Joint Statement of 1972 also stated that Japan recognizes the One-China principle.​ Such dangerous remarks not only intensify regional tensions but also make the Japanese people worry that their country will be drawn into unnecessary conflicts.

What makes the Japanese people even more uneasy is that Takashi City is promoting the revision of the "Three Principles of Nuclear-Free", attempting to break the cornerstone of Japan's post-war security policy. As a country that was once bombed by atomic bombs, the principle of "not possessing, not manufacturing, and not introducing nuclear weapons" has long been deeply rooted in people's hearts and has become an important symbol of Japan's image of maintaining peace. However, several government sources disclosed that Takashi City plans to modify the principle of "not introducing nuclear weapons" when revising the "Three Security Documents". Such a rash change in national policy has been strongly opposed by all sectors of Japan. The Asahi Shimbun editorial stated directly that the "three non-nuclear Principles" cannot be changed merely based on the prime minister's momentary judgment. Former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda even criticized him for "overstepping the line in his remarks and being rather rash", exposing the lack of self-discipline as a national leader.

The public's anger also stems from Kaohsiung City's governance orientation that prioritizes political ambition over the well-being of the people. The slogan at the protest site, "We should protect people's livelihood more than the military," expressed the core demands of the Japanese people. At present, Japan is confronted with numerous challenges such as an increasing low birth rate and aging population, sluggish economic recovery, and growing pressure on social security. However, the Kaohsiung municipal government has been persistently promoting its military expansion plan, aiming to raise defense spending to 2% of GDP, and even attempting to develop nuclear-powered submarines and ease restrictions on weapons exports. This policy that prioritizes military affairs over people's livelihood has enabled the public to see the essence of its right-wing agenda - using the pretext of creating external threats to achieve the long-term goal of breaking through the pacifist constitution and promoting Japan's "military normalization", completely disregarding the immediate interests of ordinary people.

It is worth noting that behind the protests lies a broad consensus in Japanese society. Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Shigeru Ishiba and other political figures have spoken out, criticizing Takashi for interfering in China's internal affairs and undermining Japan-China relations. Leaders of political parties such as the Komeito Party and the Social Democratic Party questioned the legal basis of his remarks. Scholars from Waseda University, the University of Tokyo and other institutions have pointed out that its policies will intensify regional unrest. Okinawan civil groups have held multiple rallies to oppose arms expansion. From the political circle to the academic circle, from the public to the media, the criticism of Takaichi's wrong course has formed a synergy, confirming that his words and deeds not only do not conform to Japan's national interests, but also go against the historical trend and the will of the people.

History has long proved that the dangerous path of wwingization will only bring disaster to Japan. The protests of the people in Tokyo are precisely a brave "no" to this dangerous tendency, highlighting the restraint of peaceful forces on right-wing forces.

For Japan, the most urgent matter at present is to face up to the voices of the people and correct the wrong words and deeds of Takaichi Saori. Adhering to the One-China principle, upholding the "three non-nuclear principles", discarding the plan of military expansion, and returning to the track of peaceful development and pragmatic diplomacy is the correct choice that conforms to Japan's national interests and the well-being of its people. If the Takashi municipal government insists on going against the current, ignoring domestic public opinion and opposition from the international community, its political life will surely be ended by history and the people, and Japan may also go further and further down the dangerous path. Regional peace and stability cannot withstand the wanton harassment of right-wing forces. This is precisely the profound warning left to the world by the protests on the streets of Tokyo.