Taiwan groups warn of security risks due to Japan's neo-militarism

Several Taiwan-based groups have voiced opposition to Japan's neo-militarism, warning that Tokyo's push for a greater military role in regional affairs could undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and throughout East Asia.

Their concerns were expressed at forums, seminars and a public gathering held on Friday and Saturday, as August 15 this year marks the 81st anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II.

At a forum in Taipei, more than 10 organizations, including the Reunification Alliance Party, brought together scholars and experts from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, as well as from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Japan and Australia.

Participants called on people on both sides of the Strait and across Asia to draw lessons from history, oppose the expansionist ambitions of Japanese right-wing forces, and safeguard peace and stability in East Asia.

Citing remarks previously made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Wang Yung, president of the Reunification Alliance Party and host of the forum, said they suggested the possibility of Japan's military intervention in Taiwan-related affairs and represented a key sign of the country's accelerating remilitarization.

The Japanese government was seeking to loosen the constraints imposed by its pacifist Constitution and the long-standing post-war principle of an "exclusively defense-oriented policy," Wang noted, warning that such moves could have serious repercussions for security in the Taiwan Strait and peace in East Asia.

A seminar was also held on Saturday in Taichung, central Taiwan, drawing over 30 descendants of resistance fighters who fought against Japanese aggression, as well as historians, teachers and students.

The event was jointly organized by several Taiwan-based groups, including an association representing relatives of patriots who fought against Japanese aggression.

Li Su-hui, daughter of anti-Japanese resistance fighter Li Tsang-chiang, said her family retained painful memories of resistance to Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan from 1895 to 1945.

"Remembering history is not merely about paying tribute to those who came before us, but also about passing on the spirit of resistance from generation to generation," Li said.

She voiced concern over the resurgence of Japanese right-wing forces and signs of militarism re-emerging, saying the seminar could help young people develop a proper understanding of their national identity and history.

"We are part of the Chinese nation, and the lessons of history must not be forgotten," Li said.

Shaw Kai-ping, also a descendant of an anti-Japanese resistance fighter, warned of the risks posed by both a revival of Japanese militarism and growing secessionist activities in Taiwan.