February 15, 2024
WHO Lavishes Praise on China
March 13, 2020
The following is a continuation of Yoshiko Sakurai’s regular column published in yesterday’s issue of Shukan Shincho (the same issue also features a discussion between her and Masayuki Takayama).
Sakurai is something of a “national treasure” in the sense defined by Saicho.
WHO Lavishes Praise on China
It is welcome that they have finally begun to show a willingness to tackle the Wuhan virus, but rather than constantly opposing and criticizing for the sake of criticism, why do the Constitutional Democratic Party, Mr. Tanaka, and others not cooperate more with the ruling party?
When the March 11 disaster struck, surely the Liberal Democratic Party, then in opposition, cooperated fully with the Democratic Party government.
In dealing with the Wuhan virus, securing immediate supplies of masks and toilet paper may be necessary.
However, politicians, particularly the prime minister, must simultaneously turn their attention to the more important issue of crisis management in Japan.
China is spreading false propaganda that seeks to “pass off black as white,” claiming that the Wuhan virus did not originate in China.
On March 8, People’s Daily Online reported that there were only four new infections in China, all of them imported cases from overseas.
They claim that, guided by the principle of a “community with a shared future for mankind,” China “has shared information with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the international community to prevent the global spread of infection.”
WHO Director-General Tedros stated, “China’s large-scale efforts to prevent and contain infections have made the world safer.”
UN Secretary-General Guterres said, “The Chinese people have contributed to all humanity by sacrificing their normal lives.”
On Thursday, the Chinese government announced that it would donate $20 million to WHO.
While WHO lavishes praise on China, China is using its considerable financial resources to bring the United Nations under its influence, even spreading claims that “the United States brought in the virus.”
They emphasize a contrast between China, which succeeded in containing the virus, and Japan, which failed.
Japan is the country most directly affected by the immense calamities originating in China, including the Wuhan virus.
That is precisely why, even when assisting China, Japan must strengthen its ability to communicate information and protect its national interests.
Otherwise, it risks succumbing to false propaganda.
To survive in the international community, Japan needs friends who understand it correctly, and communicating information is the key to achieving that.
Furthermore, the government’s current authority, which extends only to making “requests” during emergencies, cannot function as an effective defense against a crisis.
A framework should be established to give the government compulsory powers, and its basis must be enshrined in the Constitution.