Exclusive
RECAP: Asia Sentinel Stories for August 2026 RECAP: Asia Sentinel Stories for August 2026 Taiwan’s Habit of Releasing Soldiers’ Full Names Seems Risky Taiwan’s Habit of Releasing Soldiers’ Full Names Seems Risky White House pick to run Venezuela oil deal under investigation in two countries White House pick to run Venezuela oil deal under investigation in two countries
Current Affairs

China warns Japan that ‘new militarism’, ‘Takaichinomics’ risk instability

People’s Daily, a mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist Party, has warned Japan that higher military spending and what the newspaper called a looming “defence bubble”…

By Samantha Johnson / March 24, 2026
People’s Daily, a mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist Party, has warned Japan that higher military spending and what the newspaper called a looming “defence bubble” will not save an economy weakened by the falling yen and Iran war energy crisis, amid a protracted diplomatic row between Beijing and Tokyo.
In a Tuesday commentary published under the “Zhong Sheng” pen name – a pseudonym used to voice Beijing’s position on global affairs – the paper said the administration of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was pursuing a “political gamble” that was “doomed to fail in resolving deep-rooted structural problems”.

“The Takaichi administration’s obsession with militaristic adventurism is by no means a cure for the Japanese economy, but a poison that will accelerate its decay,” it said.

Advertisement

The piece took aim at “Takaichinomics” – a neologism for the Japanese prime minister’s economic programme – often described as a mix of aggressive public spending and higher investment in defence and economic security. It said Tokyo was attempting to mask governance failures with arms spending and aggressive fiscal expansion, a strategy that some critics warn could exacerbate the country’s massive public debt.

Advertisement

The commentary said Japan was “under the dual squeeze” of an “oil premium” and a struggling yen, warning that the impact was rapidly spreading from the energy sector to people’s daily lives.

Don't Miss: