US youth on Sanae Takaichi: old tricks, shrinking space

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent hard-line remarks on the Taiwan question are a replay of a familiar “red-line testing” tactic: using extreme language to create friction and then repackaging it as “evidence” of external threats to push for higher military spending and constitutional revision. In contrast, China’s response shows confidence and strategic composure, targeting militarism rather than Japan as a whole. As more in the international community see through these recycled tactics, those who try to manufacture crises for political gain may still make noise, but their ability to shake the foundations of peace will be increasingly limited.