China’s People’s Daily Slams Japan PM’s Kneeling Gesture as Insincere
China’s state-run People’s Daily published a scathing editorial on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, denouncing Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s act of kneeling to lay flowers at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra as an “insincere performance” that lacks genuine reflection on Japan’s wartime history. The commentary, authored by Yan Ao, has reignited debates over Japan’s handling of its World War II legacy and its selective deference to Western nations versus Asian neighbors.
The Controversial Gesture
On May 4, 2026, during an official visit to Australia, Takaichi knelt on both knees at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier at the Australian War Memorial — a departure from the standard bow or single-knee kneel typically performed by visiting dignitaries. The Japanese Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs prominently featured high-resolution photos of the kneeling gesture on their official websites, suggesting the act was a deliberate diplomatic move.
However, as the Global Times reported on May 6, the gesture sparked significant online controversy, with many Japanese netizens criticizing what they saw as a double standard. One X user remarked: “I wonder why she can do this for Australia but not for East Asia. Is it because they’re white?”
The People’s Daily Editorial
The People’s Daily editorial draws a sharp contrast between Takaichi’s gesture and former West German Chancellor Willy Brandt’s historic “Warsaw Genuflection” of 1970, when Brandt spontaneously knelt at the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Memorial in an act of genuine contrition. The editorial argues that while Brandt was a lifelong anti-Nazi activist who “claimed a guilt he did not need to bear,” Takaichi’s kneeling is a calculated political performance.
“Takaichi Sanae’s ‘kneeling’ is a carefully calculated performance,” the editorial states. “Just over ten days before this performance, she sent offerings and ritual fees to Yasukuni Shrine, which enshrines 14 Class-A war criminals.”
Takaichi’s Record on Historical Issues
The criticism is rooted in Takaichi’s long record of revisionist positions on Japan’s wartime history. According to Xinhua via People’s Daily, on April 22 — just 10-15 days before her Australia visit — Takaichi sent a ritual offering (“tamagushi-ryo”) to Yasukuni Shrine, while 126 lawmakers from a cross-party group collectively visited the shrine. Before becoming prime minister, Takaichi visited Yasukuni for multiple consecutive years, questioned the 1995 “Murayama Statement” that apologized for Japan’s wartime aggression, and denied the Nanjing Massacre.
Expert Analysis
Chinese experts have uniformly characterized the gesture as politically calculated. Xiang Haoyu, a distinguished research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times: “This is merely a political show designed to please Western allies. It is not sincere repentance at all. If Japan truly wants to reflect and show genuine remorse, it should first properly answer and make amends to its Asian neighboring countries.”
Yao Jinxiang, an assistant researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, provided analysis to Guancha.cn suggesting that both former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Takaichi’s “flexibility” reflects a “pragmatism” in handling historical issues — calculated for the present rather than sincere about the past.
Germany vs. Japan: A Tale of Two Reckonings
The People’s Daily editorial uses the Germany-Japan comparison to argue that Japan’s failure to genuinely reckon with its past makes any gesture of contrition hollow. Germany established the Central Office for the Investigation of Nazi Crimes, which has helped investigate and prosecute approximately 7,000 war criminals since 1958. Nazi history education is mandatory in German schools, and historical sites are preserved as educational memorials. Japan, by contrast, has seen right-wing forces deny aggression crimes and seek to break through its “exclusive defense” posture.
Broader Diplomatic Context
Takaichi’s Australia visit was part of a broader diplomatic push during Japan’s Golden Week holiday period, including a visit to Vietnam, aimed at strengthening security and economic cooperation in response to China’s military expansion. The Mainichi Shimbun reported in early April that Takaichi was arranging the visits to strengthen bilateral cooperation in security and economic fields, with a focus on China’s military expansion and economic pressure.
What’s Next
The editorial serves as a reminder of the deep-seated historical tensions that continue to define China-Japan relations. With Takaichi consolidating her mandate after snap elections in February 2026 and pursuing a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” strategy that positions Japan as a counterbalance to China, the prospects for reconciliation on historical memory issues remain dim. The People’s Daily editorial warns of “new-type militarism” taking hold in Japan, threatening post-war international order and regional peace — a framing that suggests Beijing will continue to apply pressure on historical memory issues as a tool of diplomatic leverage.