Japan Press Weekly

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2022 June 29 - July 5 [POLITICS]

Shii: PM Kishida's remarks at NATO summit will intensify tensions in East Asia

A NATO summit in Madrid ended on June 30. Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in the summit meeting said, "Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow," expressing his intent to strengthen military ties with NATO with China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region in mind.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo held a press conference in Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, on July 1 and criticized PM Kishida's statement for running counter to global efforts to establish true peace in East Asia and the rest of the world.

Shii said, "PM Kishida reiterated, 'Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow,' and stated that Japan will substantially boost military spending. This will only help increase military tensions and divisions in East Asia."

He added, "Kishida should have given his attention to diplomatic ways to prevent a war from occurring and ways to build a truly peaceful relationship with each other in this region, but his statement did not send that message at all."