Several Japanese lawmakers and prominent scholars gathered Tuesday evening at the Members' Office Building of the House of Councillors to urge Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to retract her recent erroneous remarks on Taiwan.
The meeting was held under the theme of demanding Takaichi withdraw her remarks linking a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan to the Taiwan question and return to the starting point of the normalization of Japan-China relations.
Speaking at the event, former Foreign Ministry official Ukeru Magosaki argued that Takaichi's comments undermine the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement.
Kumiko Haba, professor emeritus at Aoyama Gakuin University, said Takaichi's statements on Taiwan were "extremely dangerous," pointing out that her remarks would clearly violate Article 9 of Japan's Constitution as well as international law.
Member of the House of Councillors Sachika Takara also addressed the gathering, saying Takaichi should withdraw her remarks and make it a starting point to rebuild Japan-China relations and ease rising tensions.
Participants issued a joint appeal calling for Takaichi to retract her statements, return to the starting point of the normalization of Japan-China relations and promote the development of friendly relations between Japan and China, which received strong support from several dozen attendees.
The appeal said Takaichi's remarks had seriously damaged the foundation of bilateral relations since normalization and harmed Japan's national interests. It reiterated that the Taiwan question is entirely China's internal affair and urged Japan to uphold the four political documents between the two countries and adhere to the one-China principle.
Source(s): Xinhua News Agency
