Japan must act with its allies against China's pressure campaign: Report
Beijing, July 5
The Chinese Communist Party has been carrying out a pressure campaign against Japan through espionage, maritime aggression, and economic coercion, and the nation and its allies must act decisively, as China is testing Tokyo's resilience and the credibility of its alliance with the US, as per a report.
Japan's most advanced industries, including semiconductors and robotics, have faced attacks from Chinese intelligence networks. Cyber intrusions and insider recruitment threaten to remove its competitive advantage, and Japan should enhance counter-intelligence resources, tighten monitoring of academic exchanges, and create a joint Japan-US-EU task force to monitor and disrupt technology theft, according to a report in the European Times.
Chinese coast guard and fishing vessels regularly enter waters around the Senkaku Islands. These incursions are not just provocations but aimed to undermine Japan's sovereignty. Japan must increase patrols, conduct maritime domain awareness and carry out joint exercises in cooperation with allies to give a message that its territorial waters are non-negotiable, the report said.
"The CCP's tactics are integrated; the response must be equally coordinated. Japan cannot stand alone. Its allies must recognise that defending Japan also means defending the rules-based order. China's pressure campaign should therefore be treated as a collective security challenge requiring coordinated diplomatic, economic, and military measures," Khedroob Thondup, nephew of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, wrote in the European Times report.
"Japan is facing a sustained campaign designed to weaken its strategic autonomy and test the durability of its alliances. The choice is stark: respond piecemeal and watch sovereignty gradually erode, or act decisively with allies to preserve stability, deter coercion, and defend the rules-based order. The time for hesitation is over," the author added.
Earlier in May, a senior Japanese official rejected the criticism of China and Russia over their claims of Japan's "remilitarisation", terming it "entirely unfounded".
During a press conference on May 21, Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki said that Tokyo wants China and Russia to "change their behaviour" over issues like Beijing's military activities, which he called a "cause for serious concern for the international community", and Moscow's military action against Ukraine, Japan's Kyodo News reported.
The Japanese official's remarks came after Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin slammed Japan for its "current course toward accelerated remilitarisation", which they said poses "a serious threat" to regional peace and stability, according to the joint statement released after their meeting.
They also voiced concerns about "extreme provocations" by Japan's "right-wing forces", including pushing for introducing changes to the country's three nuclear principles that prohibit Japan from having, producing or allowing the introduction of nuclear weapons, Kyodo News reported.
Ties between China and Japan have been strained after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in parliament in November 2025 that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a response by Japan's Self-Defence Forces (JSDF). China considers Taiwan as part of its territory and insists on its reunification with the mainland by force if necessary.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting that the article quotes a Tibetan figure. China's human rights record in Xinjiang and Tibet shows they don't respect sovereignty of others. Japan is right to be worried.
Hmm, but we also need to be careful. This kind of report could escalate tensions unnecessarily. Japan has its own history in Asia - many Indians remember the Azad Hind Fauj connection but also the war atrocities. Balance is needed. China does have legitimate security concerns, though their methods are aggressive.
The semiconductor angle is crucial! India is building our own chip manufacturing now. China spies steal technology everywhere. Japan should definitely tighten academic exchanges. We saw how Chinese students in Indian universities sometimes get too close to sensitive research. Better safe than sorry.
I worry about this Cold War mentality. Yes China does bad things, but demonizing them helps no one. Japan should focus on diplomacy first, then move to stronger measures if needed. India also tried the diplomacy-first approach but had to stand up at Galwan. It's complicated.
The Senkaku/Diaoyu islands dispute is exactly like our Aksai Chin situation. China uses lawfare + maritime militia to gradually take over. Japan must hold firm. And that part about Taiwan - if China attacks Taiwan, the whole region goes up in flames. US-Japan-India-Australia Quad should strengthen!
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