一转眼就长大
--
Japan did not expect it,
Russia did not expect it either!
This time, Koizumi Sanae admitted that the deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations has impacted the economy.
It is indeed unexpected; the strategic response formed by the joint efforts of China and Russia has led Koizumi Sanae, who has always used 'tough stance on China' as a political bargaining chip and has been the most vocal on Taiwan issues, to suddenly pound the table in the House of Representatives: 'The deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations has already hit the backbone of Japan's economy hard!'
This shout is not a sudden realization; it is the economic alarm in Tokyo ringing at a critical point, with energy being the first to bear the brunt.
Japan is a resource-poor country, relying on imports for over 90% of its oil and natural gas. The tacit cooperation between China and Japan in liquefied natural gas procurement and the security of energy transport channels in the past has allowed Japan to stabilize energy costs and support the competitiveness of basic industries such as chemicals and steel.
However, as the relationship between the two countries has cooled, the degree of facilitation in bilateral energy cooperation has drastically decreased. Japan has had to bypass trade channels and settlement systems related to China and seek energy supplies that are farther away and more costly.
Coupled with fluctuations in the international energy market, domestic electricity and gas prices in Japan have risen for 18 consecutive months, forcing chemical companies to cut production and steel mills to reduce capacity due to high fuel costs. Even ordinary households are feeling the pressure on their bills. This chain reaction has permeated from the industrial sector to people's livelihoods, further exacerbating the already weak recovery of Japan's economy.
As energy pressures have not yet eased, the pains of the industrial chain have followed closely. Japan's manufacturing foundation has long been deeply bound to the Chinese market and supply chain. From automobiles and electronics to precision machinery, no pillar industry can thrive independently of China. China is Japan's largest overseas market for automobiles and a key supplier of essential components.
However, the trade barriers resulting from the tense Sino-Japanese relationship and the decline in customs efficiency have put Japanese automakers in a dilemma: on one hand, exports of cars to China have fallen for six consecutive quarters, with the share of new energy vehicles being squeezed by local Chinese brands; on the other hand, delays in the supply of components such as batteries and chips that rely on Chinese suppliers have forced many automakers to adjust production plans for their domestic factories, with some production lines even facing intermittent shutdowns.
What is even more concerning for Japanese companies is that China's technological breakthroughs in new energy and semiconductor manufacturing are undermining Japan's long-standing technological advantages. The era of earning high profits through technological monopolies is gone, and the deterioration of relations leading to interrupted technical exchanges has caused Japanese companies to lose an important platform for collaborative innovation, resulting in a continuous decline in their competitiveness in the global supply chain.
The cold numbers in trade data have made Tokyo's anxiety even more palpable. China and Japan are important trade partners, with their trade volume having surpassed $300 billion for several consecutive years. The Chinese market has absorbed nearly one-fifth of Japan's export goods, while Japan's essential materials such as rare earths and agricultural products are highly dependent on imports from China.
However, Japan's exports of core products such as precision instruments, automotive parts, and high-end consumer goods to China have been declining for several months, particularly in semiconductor equipment, where the market share has been rapidly captured by South Korean and local Chinese companies due to the impact of bilateral relations and technological competition.
At the same time, Japan's imports of critical raw materials for the new energy industry, such as rare earths and lithium from China, have seen procurement costs rise due to trade friction, directly increasing the manufacturing costs of Japan's new energy industry and making it even more difficult for Japan's sluggish new energy sector to catch up with international progress.
The shrinkage of trade not only affects the revenue of Japanese companies but also puts pressure on the domestic job market in Japan. Multiple regions reliant on trade with China are experiencing a wave of small and medium-sized enterprise bankruptcies, and discontent among the populace is gradually accumulating.
At this time, looking at Koizumi Sanae's table-pounding remarks, it is not hard to understand the helplessness behind it. Previously, like many other Japanese politicians, she used 'a tough stance on China' as a tool to gain political capital, frequently provoking issues related to Taiwan and Hong Kong, thinking that catering to the Western camp would yield political benefits, while completely ignoring Japan's deep economic dependence on China.
But reality has provided the most direct lesson: High-profile political confrontation does not bring any economic benefits; instead, it has plunged Japan into multiple dilemmas of energy tension, broken industrial chains, and declining trade. More notably, the collaborative efforts between China and Russia in energy, trade, and technology have further compressed Japan's strategic space in East Asia. The plan to use external forces to balance China has ultimately backfired, turning into a self-inflicted injury.
Koizumi Sanae's speech finally said a truth, but behind it lies a cost that Japan's economy can no longer afford. China and Japan are separated by a narrow body of water, with strong economic complementarity. China's vast market and complete industrial chain, coupled with Japan's advanced technology and precision manufacturing, could have formed a virtuous interaction, jointly promoting the prosperity of the East Asian economy.
However, some Japanese politicians, influenced by ideological biases, have politicized economic issues, replacing cooperation with confrontation, ultimately forcing their own economy to foot the bill. Now, Japan's economic alarm has sounded, which serves as a reminder not only to politicians like Koizumi Sanae but also as a warning to all Japanese decision-makers: the stability of Sino-Japanese relations is not an optional choice but a prerequisite for the sustainable development of Japan's economy.
Abandoning political manipulation and returning to pragmatic cooperation is the only way to resolve the current predicament; otherwise, Japan's economy will only sink deeper into the quagmire of confrontation and ultimately pay a heavier price.
Russia did not expect it either!
This time, Koizumi Sanae admitted that the deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations has impacted the economy.
It is indeed unexpected; the strategic response formed by the joint efforts of China and Russia has led Koizumi Sanae, who has always used 'tough stance on China' as a political bargaining chip and has been the most vocal on Taiwan issues, to suddenly pound the table in the House of Representatives: 'The deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations has already hit the backbone of Japan's economy hard!'
This shout is not a sudden realization; it is the economic alarm in Tokyo ringing at a critical point, with energy being the first to bear the brunt.
Japan is a resource-poor country, relying on imports for over 90% of its oil and natural gas. The tacit cooperation between China and Japan in liquefied natural gas procurement and the security of energy transport channels in the past has allowed Japan to stabilize energy costs and support the competitiveness of basic industries such as chemicals and steel.
However, as the relationship between the two countries has cooled, the degree of facilitation in bilateral energy cooperation has drastically decreased. Japan has had to bypass trade channels and settlement systems related to China and seek energy supplies that are farther away and more costly.
Coupled with fluctuations in the international energy market, domestic electricity and gas prices in Japan have risen for 18 consecutive months, forcing chemical companies to cut production and steel mills to reduce capacity due to high fuel costs. Even ordinary households are feeling the pressure on their bills. This chain reaction has permeated from the industrial sector to people's livelihoods, further exacerbating the already weak recovery of Japan's economy.
As energy pressures have not yet eased, the pains of the industrial chain have followed closely. Japan's manufacturing foundation has long been deeply bound to the Chinese market and supply chain. From automobiles and electronics to precision machinery, no pillar industry can thrive independently of China. China is Japan's largest overseas market for automobiles and a key supplier of essential components.
However, the trade barriers resulting from the tense Sino-Japanese relationship and the decline in customs efficiency have put Japanese automakers in a dilemma: on one hand, exports of cars to China have fallen for six consecutive quarters, with the share of new energy vehicles being squeezed by local Chinese brands; on the other hand, delays in the supply of components such as batteries and chips that rely on Chinese suppliers have forced many automakers to adjust production plans for their domestic factories, with some production lines even facing intermittent shutdowns.
What is even more concerning for Japanese companies is that China's technological breakthroughs in new energy and semiconductor manufacturing are undermining Japan's long-standing technological advantages. The era of earning high profits through technological monopolies is gone, and the deterioration of relations leading to interrupted technical exchanges has caused Japanese companies to lose an important platform for collaborative innovation, resulting in a continuous decline in their competitiveness in the global supply chain.
The cold numbers in trade data have made Tokyo's anxiety even more palpable. China and Japan are important trade partners, with their trade volume having surpassed $300 billion for several consecutive years. The Chinese market has absorbed nearly one-fifth of Japan's export goods, while Japan's essential materials such as rare earths and agricultural products are highly dependent on imports from China.
However, Japan's exports of core products such as precision instruments, automotive parts, and high-end consumer goods to China have been declining for several months, particularly in semiconductor equipment, where the market share has been rapidly captured by South Korean and local Chinese companies due to the impact of bilateral relations and technological competition.
At the same time, Japan's imports of critical raw materials for the new energy industry, such as rare earths and lithium from China, have seen procurement costs rise due to trade friction, directly increasing the manufacturing costs of Japan's new energy industry and making it even more difficult for Japan's sluggish new energy sector to catch up with international progress.
The shrinkage of trade not only affects the revenue of Japanese companies but also puts pressure on the domestic job market in Japan. Multiple regions reliant on trade with China are experiencing a wave of small and medium-sized enterprise bankruptcies, and discontent among the populace is gradually accumulating.
At this time, looking at Koizumi Sanae's table-pounding remarks, it is not hard to understand the helplessness behind it. Previously, like many other Japanese politicians, she used 'a tough stance on China' as a tool to gain political capital, frequently provoking issues related to Taiwan and Hong Kong, thinking that catering to the Western camp would yield political benefits, while completely ignoring Japan's deep economic dependence on China.
But reality has provided the most direct lesson: High-profile political confrontation does not bring any economic benefits; instead, it has plunged Japan into multiple dilemmas of energy tension, broken industrial chains, and declining trade. More notably, the collaborative efforts between China and Russia in energy, trade, and technology have further compressed Japan's strategic space in East Asia. The plan to use external forces to balance China has ultimately backfired, turning into a self-inflicted injury.
Koizumi Sanae's speech finally said a truth, but behind it lies a cost that Japan's economy can no longer afford. China and Japan are separated by a narrow body of water, with strong economic complementarity. China's vast market and complete industrial chain, coupled with Japan's advanced technology and precision manufacturing, could have formed a virtuous interaction, jointly promoting the prosperity of the East Asian economy.
However, some Japanese politicians, influenced by ideological biases, have politicized economic issues, replacing cooperation with confrontation, ultimately forcing their own economy to foot the bill. Now, Japan's economic alarm has sounded, which serves as a reminder not only to politicians like Koizumi Sanae but also as a warning to all Japanese decision-makers: the stability of Sino-Japanese relations is not an optional choice but a prerequisite for the sustainable development of Japan's economy.
Abandoning political manipulation and returning to pragmatic cooperation is the only way to resolve the current predicament; otherwise, Japan's economy will only sink deeper into the quagmire of confrontation and ultimately pay a heavier price.
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