China mourns an ‘old friend’ in ex-PM Yasuo Fukuda, with Japan’s foreign policy at a crossroads — SkimNews
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- Yasuo Fukuda died at 90, and China mourned him as an 'old friend of the Chinese people,' with Xi Jinping praising his 'correct view of history' and commitment to bilateral principles.
- China used Fukuda’s death to indirectly criticize current Japanese leadership, with Guo Jiakun noting his adherence to foundational accords 'should evoke self-reflection' in Tokyo’s current government.
- Tatsuo Fukuda stated the 1977 Fukuda Doctrine should be reframed for modern challenges like food security and energy supply, while preserving its core of equal partnership and 'heart-to-heart' ties with ASEAN.
- Analysts argue that open dialogue remains essential to prevent escalation with China and ASEAN, citing Fukuda’s 2014 secret meeting with Xi Jinping that helped break a diplomatic freeze over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.
- Rumi Aoyama observed that Xi Jinping sent condolences directly to the Fukuda family, not to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, signaling Beijing’s preference for a diplomacy rooted in historical understanding.
- Kei Koga emphasized that Fukuda’s principle of continuous dialogue is still vital to reduce risks of accidents and unintended escalation, especially as Japan increases defense spending and acquires counterstrike capabilities.
Why it matters: Japan’s diplomatic credibility in **ASEAN** and stability with **China** hinge on maintaining dialogue channels, yet current leadership’s reduced engagement contrasts with Fukuda’s legacy, raising risks of miscalculation in a region where defense postures are hardening and trust must be actively sustained.
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