Japan complains about rare earth restrictions, and after provoking, pretends to be pitiful
Japan has begun to act pitiful again, claiming that rare earth approvals have "slowed down," suspecting that China is "retaliating." To summarize: first provoking, then crying out in pain, and blaming others for being too harsh. What's even more outrageous is that the provocation is not just any provocation, but the newly appointed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi personally treating the Taiwan Strait issue as a political toy, throwing out the statement that "the Taiwan Strait conflict is a crisis for Japan's survival." Anyone who hears this knows it crosses the red line. After making the statement, she turns around to play innocent, and now it's the turn of Japanese media to lament about the rare earth issue, saying that China has them in a chokehold. A country performing the act of "smashing someone else's window and then complaining about stepping on the glass shards" is indeed a long-standing tradition of the Japanese side.
Sanae Takaichi has been in office for less than a month, and immediately throws out erroneous statements regarding Taiwan, with a rather tough tone, openly indicating the possibility of "military" intervention in the Taiwan Strait. China, of course, cannot pretend not to hear. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs directly criticized her by name, clearly demanding that the Japanese side retract their statements and restore political foundations, or face the consequences. The Japanese side performed the standard moves, first labeling this as a "principled" statement, then using a "hypothetical response" to gloss over it, finding a way to backtrack. However, no matter how soft the ladder they built, it cannot change the fact that Takaichi is the one who initiated the provocation. Thus, the storm stirred up by Takaichi's words slowly spread in subsequent economic, trade, and civil exchanges.
China issued travel warnings and reminders about study abroad risks for Japan, and even suspended imports of Japanese seafood, all of which are normal safety considerations. Yet, some Japanese media insist on labeling this series of actions as "countermeasures," making it seem as if China is coldly calculating and looking for Japan's soft spots to strike. The rare earth issue they brought up is essentially a continuation of this narrative, repackaging their own dependence on China's supply chain with a "victim's tone." But the problem is, China accounts for 70% of global rare earth production, and certain categories are almost monopolized in supply; this is not news. Japan's manufacturing industry has been aware of its dependence on rare earths for a long time.
From the 2010 Diaoyu Islands incident to now, Japan has not felt the vulnerability of its supply chain for the first time, but each time they prefer to blame this vulnerability on China rather than reflect on why they cannot do without others for key materials. The so-called "slowed approvals" is something that Japanese government officials themselves admit; there is no evidence to prove that China is deliberately targeting them, yet the media still cannot help but hype this issue into a "danger signal." They particularly enjoy creating a sense of tension at such junctures, as if an invisible "economic war" is quietly advancing. The Ministry of Commerce of China responded very clearly: the statements must be corrected, and attitudes must be in place; otherwise, don’t blame us for taking measures.
China did not make its words harsh, but the meaning is already clear as day. Japan also knows in their hearts that their manufacturing industry relies on Chinese raw materials, especially in the automotive and electronics sectors; these realities cannot be changed by one political figure's statement about a "crisis for survival." The so-called "rare earth approval delays," if they really exist, seem more like a political phantom pain produced by Japan's own guilt. They place their dependence at China's feet while expecting unconditional cooperation from China; this mentality itself is unsustainable. What is most noteworthy in the entire affair is that the Japanese government's response has always attempted to "weaken the sense of conflict." They say they cannot confirm whether China is targeting them, and Japanese officials also say they need to "assess." This sounds rational, but in fact, it exposes Japan's unwillingness to truly face reality:
Takaichi's remarks have neither garnered China's understanding nor have they earned Japan the so-called "international prestige"; instead, they have put Japan's economy at risk first. Ultimately, what Japan fears most now is not China's anger, but rather that China's response this time is too serious, making them realize that the connection between political provocation and economic consequences is becoming real. However, Japanese media clearly does not want to admit that it is their politicians' reckless remarks that have led to the current deadlock, so they tell a story of "external pressure" regarding the rare earth issue, as if China has suddenly become an unstable factor overnight. But the problem is that China's policies, positions, and actions are all laid out; the Ministry of Commerce stated very clearly at the press conference: Japan must retract its erroneous statements and must demonstrate its commitments through concrete actions.
If they continue to act unilaterally, then the consequences will be borne by the Japanese side. This logic is straightforward and without any concealment. Whether Japan is willing to face it is one thing, but reality will not let them escape for too long. What Takaichi has truly created is not the so-called "crisis for Japan's survival" she speaks of, but a more embarrassing situation: the intensity of Japan's external provocations is severely mismatched with its ability to bear the consequences. An economic structure cannot support political adventures, and supply chain dependence cannot replace diplomatic wisdom; this misalignment is the most powerless part of Japan today. The world will not give Japan the qualifications for toughness just because it wants to act tough, nor will it be particularly lenient with it on key materials just because it feels aggrieved. Provocation is a cost, and pretending to be pitiful is also a cost; Japan will eventually have to pay for each of its words.
