TOKYO, July 26 — A clip of a past debate featuring current Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who was then a lawmaker, surfaced on social media in Japan recently and has drawn heavy domestic criticism for her revisionist views of the country’s conduct in World War II.
Takaichi, during the live political talk and news debate show aired in 2002 on TV Asahi, claimed that Japan’s war of aggression against China was about “self-defense,” and that “the imperial expansion in China in the 1930s was the international norm.”
Soichiro Tahara, a Japanese political journalist and host for the face-to-face debate, blasted Takaichi over her view of history, calling it “completely incorrect” and “ignorant,” saying that “it is absurd for someone like that to be a member of parliament.”
The trending clip has captured people’s attention across social media platforms. On YouTube, some of the most liked comments on Saturday read “This person has a deeply flawed understanding of history and is, frankly, ignorant,” “Whether born of conviction or ignorance, such remarks are simply indefensible,” and “Someone who glorifies war has become prime minister. I want her to step down as soon as possible.”
Yusuke Yamashita, associate professor of Corporate Social Responsibility at Sakushin Gakuin University, on Saturday wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that what is truly astonishing is that Takaichi is completely incapable of explaining the reasoning behind her “self-defense war” arguments, which “ultimately suggests that her claim is based not on any coherent logic or theory, but merely on emotion.”
“Ignorance is terrifying. Yet it is far more horrifying that such a person serves as a nation’s prime minister. Before triggering an unforeseen catastrophe and inflicting immense sacrifices on this country and its people, there is no option but to demand this person resign,” Ichiro Ozawa, a Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1969 to 2026, wrote on X on Sunday.
A distorted view of history has been fueling Takaichi’s ignorant and alarming remarks throughout her political career. Since entering parliament in 1993, Takaichi has consistently belonged to the conservative-nationalist wing of the Liberal Democratic Party and openly advocated for constitutional revisions to expand Japan’s military capabilities, including renaming the Self-Defense Forces.
Takaichi’s rhetoric and conduct echo the stance of other right-wing politicians in Japan who continue to propagate revisionist narratives of World War II, minimizing or outright denying the atrocities committed against China and other Asian countries.
Such claims represent a whitewashing of wartime aggression and a dangerous revival of militarist historical interpretations. Takaichi and certain political forces face broad domestic and international pushback regarding their revisionist historical perspectives and regional security stances.
Critics said Takaichi’s pursuit of politically contentious policies while failing to address mounting public concerns over livelihoods has fueled dissatisfaction, casting increasing doubt over the sustainability of her administration.
A series of opinion polls released in July already showed that public support for the Takaichi government has continued to decline, with disapproval overtaking approval in some surveys for the first time. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
