In response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s open support for linking NATO with the Asia Pacific (following her phone call with NATO chief Mark Rutte), Global Times posted a cartoon showing Takaichi pushing a large bundle of dynamite marked “NATO-IZATION OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC” into Asia. They report that “Takaichi highlighted that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the so-called Indo-Pacific is inseparable and cooperation between Japan-NATO and NATO-IP4 (Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea) is crucial.”
They note also that Takaichi is trying to “revise Japan’s long-standing Three Non-Nuclear Principles, which prohibit nuclear weapons from entering Japan’s territory,” planning to export Type 03 missiles to the Philippines, and preparing to “intervene militarily on the Taiwan question.”
Further, they report: “Japan, a betrayer of history who brought enormous sufferings to Asia and the world, is now a troublemaker again. The international community, especially the Asia-Pacific region, wonders if Japan truly draws a clear line with militarism. Its provocative moves have already triggered concerns and opposition from those inside Japan. The Japanese media reported on Tuesday [Dec. 2] that senior members of the cross-party Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians’ Union conveyed to the Chinese side their request to send a delegation of lawmakers to China within the year in hopes to mend the deteriorating situation.”
