TOKYO, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Japanese scholars, opposition politicians and commentators voiced concern on Thursday over an increasingly right-leaning political trajectory under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, warning that the current direction is dangerous and merits broad public scrutiny.
Speaking at a seminar in Tokyo on Thursday evening, Kumiko Haba, professor emeritus at Aoyama Gakuin University, expressed alarm at what she sees as a growing rightward trend in Japanese politics and society, calling on various sectors to remain vigilant.
Mizuho Fukushima, a member of the House of Councillors and leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party, said moves by Takaichi to lift the five-category limit on arms exports, revise Japan's three national security documents, including the National Security Strategy, and prepare for "long-term war" were both surprising and troubling.
Political commentator Makoto Sataka said Takaichi's rise to power as a right-leaning leader has created a highly dangerous situation.
Attorney Hitomi Sugiura also criticized the prime minister's remarks related to Taiwan and her push to expand Japan's military capabilities, saying such actions do not serve Japan's interests. She added that Japan must seriously reflect on its past wars of aggression and cherish the relationship it has built with China.
At a Diet meeting on Nov. 7 last year, Takaichi claimed that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan. In a policy speech on Feb. 20, she reiterated her strong determination to revise the Constitution and outlined plans to fundamentally strengthen Japan's defense capabilities, expand exports of lethal weapons and enhance national intelligence functions, which have sparked criticism and concerns across Japanese society. ■
