◎Rather than criticizing the government's response as inadequate, now is the time for the Japanese people—together with the central and local governments—to unite and overcome the virus
—Written on March 2, 2020
The following is from Ms. Yoshiko Sakurai’s regular column titled “Suspicious Information from the Xi Regime,” published on the front page of today’s Sankei Shimbun.
No respectable Japanese citizen doubts that Yoshiko Sakurai is, in the words of Saichō, a true “national treasure.”
Emphasis within the text is mine.
“To be frank, we cannot win this battle with the power of the government alone.”
“We need the cooperation of the people.”
On February 29, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appealed to the public, stating that the next one to two weeks would be critical in curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes pneumonia.
Rather than criticizing the government’s response as inadequate, now is the time for the entire Japanese people, the central government, and local governments to work together and defeat the virus.
To do so, it is essential to recognize the characteristics of the Chinese Communist Party exposed by the Wuhan virus, which originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province.
The first trait is that information from the Chinese government is fundamentally false.
While reports spread that China was bringing the “Wuhan virus” under control, infections were exploding in South Korea and European countries.
On February 25, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned of a high risk of a global pandemic.
In such circumstances, how a country like China—where most citizens cannot even access healthcare—could have conquered the “Wuhan virus” is a complete mystery.
Across China, excluding Hubei Province, new infections have been showing a beautifully declining curve since February 17.
Guangdong Province, reportedly the next most infected area after Hubei, saw zero new infections in cities like Shenzhen and Shanghai as of the 18th.
In Guangdong Province, with a population of about 110 million and containing cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen, migrant workers have been sent back to factories since mid-February on government-arranged free trains.
This should have triggered explosive outbreaks through human-to-human transmission, yet the only information being publicized is that new infections are “zero.”
The reason for forcibly sending workers back to large cities, even at the risk of spreading the virus, is that if production does not resume, small and medium-sized businesses will begin to go bankrupt and hundreds of millions will lose their jobs.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the manufacturing PMI for February was 35.7—far below market expectations.
This is a more severe situation than the Lehman shock.
A slowing economy will topple the regime.
To maintain power, the economy must be revived at any cost.
The Xi Jinping regime justifies the spread of the virus in the name of this supreme priority.
Mr. Akio Yaita, deputy foreign news editor at Sankei Shimbun and an expert on the Chinese Communist Party’s worldview, condemned Xi’s decision as the ultimate policy of abandoning his people.
Between five to ten million returning migrant workers now work collectively under the threat of infection.
Assuming the fatality rate of the virus is around 2%, if all were infected, the death toll would reach between 100,000 and 200,000.
But the Chinese government has absolutely no intention of conducting tests.
Even if deaths occur, they won’t be linked to the “Wuhan virus.”
Foreign media cannot investigate, so the deaths of these workers can be concealed—such concealment is characteristic of the CCP.
Yaita’s assessment is likely accurate.
China is not only claiming victory over the virus using its typical “turn black into white” rhetoric, it is also beginning to push the image that Japan is the real problem.
It is now obvious that politicians like Tetsuro Fukuyama of the Constitutional Democratic Party, along with media outlets like Asahi Shimbun and NHK, are moving exactly as the Chinese Communist Party intends.
On February 25, the city of Weihai in Shandong Province announced a 14-day quarantine for all entrants from Japan and South Korea.
On February 28, Communist Party Politburo member Yang Jiechi visited Japan and stated that “in the fight against the virus, the Chinese government continues to support and assist the Japanese government.”
The Chinese embassy’s website in Tokyo showcased China’s aid to Japan with masks and other supplies.
Japan, which had been “helping China,” is now portrayed as “being helped by China.”
In stark contrast to China’s propaganda, which emerges from the shadows, Japan’s response remains too lenient.
One example is the continued acceptance of travelers from China (excluding Hubei and Zhejiang).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims that, in practice, Chinese people are no longer coming to Japan and that a nationwide ban is unnecessary—but this is not true.
At the Lower House budget committee on February 27, the Ministry of Justice reported that, even recently, an average of about 1,000 people per day were entering from mainland China.
Although the number has decreased, this still means around 1,000 visitors per day.
While China imposes strict quarantine and health checks on Japanese entrants, Japan applies a lax standard for Chinese visitors.
This is utterly irrational from a public health standpoint.
Prime Minister Abe has called on all citizens to cooperate in defeating the Wuhan virus.
To gain public understanding and support, he should, even now, declare a total entry ban on travelers from all of China.
He must also firmly reject the impression that China is now trying to create—that Japan is the true origin of the “Wuhan virus.”
To value friendship with neighboring countries is not the same as permitting lies and fabrications.
The “Wuhan virus” reveals not just issues in Japan-China relations, but the inherent fate of China itself.
The Ming dynasty of the 14th century and the Qing dynasty that succeeded it—both collapsed amid massive epidemics of smallpox and plague.
There is no guarantee that Xi Jinping will survive the power struggles certain to come.
He must also face off against the United States.
Though the U.S. has its own problems, its power is overwhelming.
Professor Tadae Takubo of Kyorin University highlights the unmatched strength of the U.S. in terms of population and energy.
China’s economy is already nearing collapse.
With an aging population and no energy self-sufficiency, China contrasts starkly with America’s robust national foundation.
As a neighbor and Japan’s largest trading partner, China’s importance cannot be ignored, nor can its strength be underestimated—but even so, Japan can only stand with the United States.
The Abe administration must not allow any rift between Japan and the U.S.
It should make clear its stance of aligning with the U.S. in rejecting Chinese authoritarian values.
To become a nation capable of walking that path with resolve, now is the time for the Prime Minister to achieve constitutional reform at all costs.
