Why This Topic Landed in Japan

A US-China summit had just produced an unusual framing—talk of the US and China as "wartime allies"—that was already rippling through Japanese politics. Into that context, foreign-policy commentator Magosaki Ukeru argued that Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks on a Taiwan contingency had sent Japan-China relations "back to 1945." That is a commentator's characterization, not a factual finding, and most of the online response rejected it: the People's Republic of China did not exist in 1945 (it was founded in 1949), and the ally that fought alongside the United States was the Republic of China under Chiang Kai-shek—today's Taiwan.

Two other threads fed the same topic on the same day. Reports said a Chinese vice-premier, following Foreign Minister Wang Yi, received the Japanese politician Iwaya with notable hospitality; many readers read this through the classic "lavishly entertain an incompetent envoy" strategy, casting it as an attempt to undermine Takaichi's hard line—though others doubted it amounted to real pressure. Separately, an image circulated appearing to show Xi Jinping's party using a Japanese-brand Tiger thermos at the summit dinner, which drew mockery about the gap between anti-Japan rhetoric and private reliance on Japanese quality. The brand shown in the image could not be confirmed.

Key Reaction Themes

  • The "back to 1945" rebuttal — The largest share of responses rejected the "1945" claim on historical grounds: the PRC did not exist then, and Japan's wartime opponent was the Republic of China, not the current government in Beijing.
  • China's "incompetent envoy" play — Many read the warm treatment of Iwaya as a textbook strategy to weaken Takaichi from within, while some doubted it was real pressure at all.
  • Mockery of Xi's Japanese-brand thermos — Cynicism about a leadership that stokes anti-Japan feeling yet privately relies on Japanese products.
  • Worry about isolation — A smaller group feared Takaichi's hard line deepens Japan's diplomatic isolation.

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

The "back to 1945" claim over Takaichi's Taiwan remark

A commentator called Takaichi's Taiwan remarks a return of Japan-China ties to 1945; most readers pushed back.

Sources: dmenu news

Comments:

  • "In 1945 the People's Republic of China didn't exist yet."
  • "Magosaki? Okay, we're done here."
  • ">If we went back to 1945, today's China wouldn't exist >The PRC was founded in 1949, right? That logic only flies inside Japan; both the Republic of China and the People's Republic are globally recognized as 'CHINA.'"
  • "I was so moved by the Communist-sympathizer expert's talk. I respectfully decline. I truly think it's wonderful that we've gone back to the old days lol"
  • "At the Japan-US-Korea foreign-minister talks they aligned on deterring China. Trump is playing up US-China friendliness for market stability, but behind it the whole US is moving to shut China out."
  • "Japan fought Chiang Kai-shek, not Mao Zedong."
  • "The ally that fought Japan alongside America was not the People's Republic but, properly, the Republic of China's Nationalist government (today's Taiwan)."
  • "Every time something happened they'd burn Japanese cars and flags. That was China back then."
  • "In history, 'going back' is impossible. Even if a situation looks similar, it's like a spiral staircase—you've come through a different process to a different level. Anyone who says things 'went back' is either an idiot or trying to cover something up."
  • "Good for the Republic of China—if we're back in 1945, it's a brand-new permanent member of the UN Security Council lol"
  • "They must've genuinely thought an invasion of Taiwan was imminent 🤔 It's working way too well 😨 No to war 😭"
  • "Cooperation? It was just a relationship of mutual use—they were a virtual enemy. That side is trash that runs anti-Japan demos and anti-Japan dramas."

China's hospitality toward Iwaya as leverage

Reports that a Chinese vice-premier gave Iwaya an unusually warm reception, read as a bid to pressure Takaichi.

Sources: Yahoo! news, 2ch

Comments:

  • "'Lavishly entertain an incompetent envoy'—the Six Secret Teachings."
  • "Trump did the same to Xi, didn't he."
  • "Takaichi's doing it to Trump too."
  • "The Chinese Communist Party is pretty clever, huh."
  • "This has probably been said to death, but it's the Six Secret Teachings' strategy: entertain an incompetent diplomat, raise his standing back home, and lure the rival state into decline."
  • "Isa Shinichi got a cold reception when he visited China—so that makes him competent? No way lol. China's old diplomatic techniques were thrown out in the Cultural Revolution."
  • "The countdown on the encircle-Takaichi campaign has started lol"
  • "He's being used to bring Takaichi down."
  • "This won't amount to pressure."
  • "I read in the Records of the Three Kingdoms that if you lavish the incompetent guest and slight the capable one, the rival state falls. Send Iwaya a copy of the Three Kingdoms."
  • "They should just refuse him re-entry when he comes back, like Shingen did to his own father."
  • "If it's useless, even a good hound gets boiled—let alone a worthless mutt."

Xi Jinping's Japanese-made Tiger thermos

An image circulated appearing to show Xi's party using a Japanese-brand thermos at the summit dinner.

Black China ブラックチャイナ
Black China ブラックチャイナ
@superwangbadan
·

【口嫌体正直】 先日の🇺🇸🇨🇳晩餐会で習近平が「マイポット」を持参していていたのだが、その魔法瓶… TIGER🐯製だった‼️（笑）

Image
Image
李老师不是你老师
李老师不是你老师
@whyyoutouzhele

9月24日晚，白宫国宴上，人们注意到习近平和彭丽媛的席位前分别放着一黑一白两只保温杯。一张美联社拍摄的照片显示，习近平的保温杯上的商标疑似为日本虎牌。此外，据纽约邮报报道，周五的白宫茶叙，有人注意到他们乘坐的红旗车内也放着保温杯。

Image
Image
Reply
Read 110 replies

Comments:

  • "Of course he wouldn't use Chinese-made stuff lol"
  • "You can't trust people who shout anti-Japan slogans when it suits them—well, maybe it's unavoidable for a head of state?"
  • "Taking damage from the ideology he himself led and stoked—lol"
  • "He brings his own thermos out of fear of being poisoned, so of course he wouldn't use anything Chinese-made."
  • "There's nobody who's anti-China yet uses Chinese products, right?"
  • "Well, the Party's top man is far richer than your average Chinese citizen, so of course he'd use safe, reliable Japanese products even if they cost much more than Chinese ones lol"
  • "Taping over (the logo) makes it even lamer."
  • "His lower half is pro-Japan."
  • "A king who uses a present from his grandchild—how sweet."
  • "Telling the Chinese public to use Chinese products while the dictator uses Japanese ones—that's China for you."
  • "Tiger is the cheap one; Japanese people use Zojirushi."
  • "Couldn't resist a present that made his grandchild smile, huh."