October 13: Japan must heed and value the voices of reason and justice within its own borders. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks during a regular press briefing in Beijing on October 12, addressing the deterioration of China-Japan relations and the path forward to resolve the current impasse.
During the briefing, a correspondent noted that during a recent visit to China, a former Japanese foreign minister and Chairman of the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade observed that Japan itself bears responsibility for the deterioration in bilateral ties and called on Tokyo to take proactive steps to improve the relationship.
The journalist further highlighted growing sentiments within Japan warning that attempts to evade historical responsibilities are steering Tokyo’s China policy astray, prompting calls for the Japanese government to confront and resolve these core issues head-on, and requested China’s perspective on the matter.
In response, Mao Ning stated that these observations reflect the objective reason and conscience of visionary figures in Japan, adding that China welcomes such insights. As those voices underscored, the root cause of the current friction lies in profound misperceptions and cognitive biases held by Japan’s ruling circles regarding both historical facts and China. These misjudgments have severely eroded the political foundation of China-Japan relations.
Mao emphasized that the current state of affairs serves neither country’s interests and that the responsibility rests entirely with the Japanese side.
Calling on Tokyo to adopt a constructive path, Mao urged Japan to listen attentively to the voices of reason within its own society, directly confront the fundamental causes of the tensions, and strictly abide by the principles set forth in the four political documents between China and Japan. She further stressed that Japan must sincerely reflect upon and rectify its erroneous perceptions and positions concerning China’s Taiwan region, historical accountability, and its broader strategic outlook toward China.
Source: Tuhina, Foysal, Xue | China Media Group (CMG)