Former Japanese PM Hatoyama urges Takaichi to correct Taiwan remarks

Former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama has publicly criticized current Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae over her recent Taiwan comments, urging her to correct the mistake by quoting Confucius: "When you have faults, do not fear to correct them."

In a Thursday post on social media platform X, Hatoyama described Takaichi's parliamentary remarks earlier this month as going in the "wrong direction" and causing "immeasurable" damage to national interests. He referenced reports of Japanese hotels receiving mass cancellations from Chinese tourists.

Hatoyama emphasized Japan's longstanding position of respecting that "Taiwan is part of China" and should not interfere in China's internal affairs or use crisis rhetoric to promote military expansion.

The former leader reiterated his November 11 viewpoint, citing former diplomat Magosaki Ukeru's account that postwar Japan should have paid massive reparations to China, but former Chinese premier Zhou Enlai waived them considering Japanese people were also victims, while requesting Japan recognize Taiwan as part of China.

The Asahi Shimbun recently reported that Takaichi prepared alone for her November 7 parliamentary response, entering the official residence at 3am to personally revise answers. A staff member revealed Takaichi later admitted she had "gone a bit too far" on Taiwan issues, while aides expressed regret for insufficient vetting.

Hatoyama warned the current situation has already caused Japan diplomatic and economic damage, urging the government to quickly "stop the bleeding" before relations deteriorate beyond repair.