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Japanese citizens today initiated a march in Shinjuku, Tokyo, demanding that the Prime Minister formally apologize to China regarding the incident where a Self-Defense Forces soldier entered the Chinese Embassy in Japan with a knife.
After the incident, the Japanese political sphere remained almost entirely silent. It wasn't until three days later that Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi casually remarked, "I feel regret."
In stark contrast, when former Minister Sanae Takaichi shouted, "If Taiwan is in trouble, Japan is in trouble," the Chinese side responded strongly; however, this time, although the Chinese side lodged a strong protest, the overall reaction was clearly restrained and low-key.
Citizens are concerned that the Japan-China conflict may continue to escalate, potentially leading to larger conflicts, so they spontaneously took to the streets, displaying anti-war and peace slogans, continuing the #0328 Shinjuku Peace Fest initiative.
Today's Japan-China relationship is like walking on thin ice, precarious and dangerous. This crisis could very well become a new bargaining chip for the U.S. during the Trump couple's visit to China in mid-May.
