Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi drew criticism for mispronouncing former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda’s title whereas talking to reporters about his passing.
A predecessor’s title deserves respect. His warnings deserve greater than ceremonial condolences. In June 2018, Fukuda paid a go to to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China’s Jiangsu Province. There, he laid a wreath for the victims and wrote in calligraphy the Chinese characters “he ping dong ya,” that means “peace in East Asia.” In 2025, he warned that treating China as an enemy would make the world a stifling place.
His message was clear: two neighbors with such deeply intertwined histories and cultures should discover a option to reside collectively peacefully.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service