Japan helped the United States to pull an "anti-Russian front," and the Russian deputy foreign minister warned of retaliation against Tokyo

Source: Global Times

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet has set off a small upsurge in diplomatic activities since the end of this month: After receiving visiting German Chancellor Scholz in Tokyo on April 28, Kishida Fumio will launch an eight-day foreign visit to Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Italy and the United Kingdom from 29 April; Foreign Minister Lin Fangzheng will visit Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and other countries next week; Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi will visit the United States from May 3 to 6; May 22, US President Biden will arrive in Japan to hold talks with Kishida leaders and attend the "Four-Nation Meeting" between the United States, Japan, Australia, and India hosted by Japan -- the above-mentioned diplomatic activities, without exception, include the contents of "responding to the Russian-Ukrainian military conflict" and "coordinating the position of sanctions against Russia", and at the same time carrying the "reserved repertoire" of "responding to the Threat of China". In parallel with the strategy of containing China, the United States and the West have now expanded the "United Front against Russia" from both sides of the North Atlantic to Asia. Japan, which wants to take advantage of the problem to contain Russia and China, and tries to further develop its armaments and break through the peace constitution, is undoubtedly a pawn that rushes to the forefront and performs the most eye-catching.

German Prime Minister's First Visit to Asia "Only to Japan"

The Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK) TV station reported on the 28th that Scholz has arrived in Japan to begin a two-day (before and after a total of more than 20 hours) of work visits, which is his first visit to an Asian country after he became The German chancellor.

On the afternoon of 28 July, Kishida met with Scholz. Kishida condemned Russia's military action against Ukraine during the talks, stressing that Japan would further strengthen sanctions against Russia and aid to Ukraine. Scholz responded that sanctions are dealing a huge blow to Russia, and it is crucial for countries to be in tune with each other in sanctions.

According to Agence France-Presse, Scholz thanked the German parliament for its "clear support" for the government's policy of providing heavy weapons to Ukraine at a joint press conference held with Kishida on the 28th. According to Reuters, Scholz also said in Tokyo on the 28th that Germany is preparing for the possibility of Russia stopping natural gas exports.

"Deutsche Welle" said on the 28th that Kishida said at a press conference that he and Scholz had reached a consensus on "opposing any behavior to change the status quo in the South and East China Seas". According to Japan's NHK television station, Scholz said at a joint press conference that "this visit sends a political signal that Germany and the European Union will further strengthen their participation in the Indo-Pacific region." ”

"Deutsche Welle" reported on the 28th that Merkel, who has been The German Chancellor for a long time, usually gives priority to China when visiting Asia, and has never visited Japan alone when visiting Asia like Scholz. According to the report, China's policy of fighting the epidemic and its position of continuing to maintain partnership with Russia have accelerated the progress of the convergence of German-Japanese relations. In addition, Scholz chose Japan as the first country in Asia because Japan and Germany were in a "very similar" geopolitical environment and defense dilemma. For example, both sides have condemned Russia's military operations against Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow, but the two countries have not stopped importing Russian energy; both countries are willing to provide materials to Ukraine, but both are "non-lethal" equipment. In fact, before the German parliament supported the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine, on the 26th, German Defense Minister Lambrecht announced that the government had allowed Ukraine to supply Ukraine with "Cheetah" anti-aircraft tanks retired from the German army. In response, the Financial Times said that "in terms of providing heavy weapons, Germany has changed its course in the end".

Cui Hongjian, director of the European Institute of the China Institute of International Studies, said in an interview with the Global Times reporter on the evening of the 28th that in the context of the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict on the whole world, the German chancellor's statement in Japan is "not a surprise." "In this Russian-Ukrainian conflict, whether subjective or external pressure, Germany has basically crossed a 'psychological threshold', that is, 'arming', and Germany has begun to implement a 'more offensive' foreign and security policy, which will be reflected in other aspects of German diplomacy in the future."

Kishida's visit to Southeast Asia has aroused alarm

Japan's concern for the Russian-Ukrainian crisis is much more than that. On the 28th, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroichi Matsuno announced at a press conference that Kishida Fumio would visit Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Italy and the United Kingdom from April 29 to May 6. According to Japanese media analysis, Kishida hopes to pull Southeast Asian countries to join the ranks of sanctions against Russia, and all three countries hope to avoid explicit criticism of Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to attend the G20 Leaders' Summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November. Faced with Western voices excluding Russia from the G20 framework, Indonesia, as the rotating presidency, stresses "the impartiality of the presidency" and plans to invite all G20 members. Thailand is also now very sensitive to the move of external forces to force it to change its traditional all-round diplomacy, and former Thai Finance Minister Tirachai expressed his vigilance on Facebook about Kishida Fumio's visit to Thailand, saying that "the United States and Japan are jointly co-opting Asian countries." Vietnam, which has maintained friendly relations with Russia since the Soviet Union, abstained in a United Nations resolution condemning Russia's military operations against Ukraine in March. Japanese media analysis pointed out that because Southeast Asian countries are very cautious about the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, it is not easy to establish the "encirclement network against Russia" imagined by Japan.

Thailand's "Bangkok Post" said on the 28th that the serious epidemic has prevented many face-to-face diplomatic activities in the world, but since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian military conflict, the Japanese prime minister has been increasing this "face-to-face diplomacy". He had already visited India and Cambodia in late March, followed by Belgium, and declared concern about any "attempts to help Russia evade sanctions," which "could refer to China." Kishida in Thailand may seek to sign a defense equipment and technology transfer agreement. Japan has signed similar agreements with the Philippines, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.

After visiting three Southeast Asian countries, Kishida Fumio will also visit Italy and the United Kingdom. Japanese media said that he will discuss measures with the leaders of the two countries to deal with the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and exchange views with them on China's growing influence.

Japanese Foreign Minister Lin Fangzheng will visit Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia next week to seek cooperation on issues such as dealing with the Russian-Ukrainian military conflict, Kyodo News Agency reported. He will then visit Fiji and Palau to continue his push for a free and open Indo-Pacific strategy. Defense Secretary Nobuo Kishi will visit the United States on May 3 to discuss with U.S. Defense Secretary Austin ways to expand U.S.-Japan cooperation and the situation in Ukraine.

Russia warned Tokyo: We will retaliate

Japan's recent behavior of following the United States in provoking Russia has been solemnly warned by the Russian side. According to a Report by the Russian News Agency on the 26th, in response to Japan's and the United States' plan to hold a large-scale joint exercise near Hokkaido this autumn, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Morgulov said that Russia warned Japan through diplomatic channels: "We regard such actions by the Japanese side as a threat to Russia's security." Once the scale of similar exercises is further expanded, Russia will retaliate in order to consolidate its defensive capabilities. Tokyo should be prepared for this. ”

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on the 27th that according to the principle of reciprocity, 8 Japanese diplomats will be expelled and restricted to leaving Russia before May 10. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that with the start of special military operations against Ukraine, Tokyo officials adopted an "openly hostile anti-Russian policy." Russia's responsibility for this action lies squarely with the Government of Japan. In early April, Japan announced the expulsion of eight Russian diplomats on the grounds of Russian military action against Ukraine. The Russian Tajikistan News Agency commented on this on the 28th that the "hellish sanctions" imposed by Japan on its neighbor Russia are mainly to satisfy the will of the "hegemon" United States, which will make Japan-Russia relations in a state of tension for a long time.

According to Russia's "Kommersant" reported on the 28th, current and retired politicians, diplomats, experts and media representatives from more than 20 countries in the East and West recently attended the sixth "Reissina Dialogue" held in India. Russia's special military operations in Ukraine were discussed. European Commission President von der Leyen, who was present at the meeting, sought to set the tone for the discussion, calling on India to "join the ranks of democracies," supporting sanctions against Russia and urging participants to work together to "contain Russia and China." But Indian Foreign Minister Jaithan Sojacien said India "will not be part of a Western alliance that launches a sanctions war against Russia." According to the Hindu newspaper reported on the 28th, Su Jaisheng said at the meeting that "there will be no winner in this conflict", "the conflict is evolving into rising energy and food prices and various sabotage", "we should find some way to resume diplomacy and dialogue". He also criticized what the West calls a "rules-based international order" and "in the case of Afghanistan, please tell me which part of the rules-based international order justifies what you are doing there."

【Yue Linwei, Special Correspondent of Global Times in Japan, Liu Yupeng, Xing Xiaojing, Special Correspondent of Global Times】