Tokyo International News Agency

Former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's repeated criticisms of Prime Minister Takaichi have sparked a significant buzz on social media, with numerous users pointing out his "Yukio Hatoyama-ization." This discussion originated from a Shueisha Online article titled "'Former Prime Minister Ishiba Should Just Keep Quiet': The Perversion of Directing Unreasonable Anger Towards Prime Minister Takaichi Instead of China, 'Yukio Hatoyama-ization' Is Unstoppable." As this article spread across social media, the term "Yukio Hatoyama-ization" began trending. Many users expressed doubt and criticism regarding Ishiba's perceived stance of directing "unreasonable anger" towards Prime Minister Takaichi while appearing to avoid explicit criticism of China. One poster strongly criticized Ishiba's attitude, writing, "Former Prime Minister, if you're a politician, don't you have the skill to cooperate and support? Anyone can j...

On September 3, 2025, former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama attended the '80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War' ceremony held in Beijing, China, where he was personally greeted by President Xi Jinping. On this day, large-scale ceremonies, including a military parade, were held in and around Tiananmen Square. It was reported that Hatoyama received an unusually direct welcome from President Xi. Former Prime Minister Hatoyama's attendance caused significant ripples within Japan, with 'Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama' becoming a trending topic on X (formerly Twitter). Users expressed a flood of both supportive and critical opinions. Critical comments included harsh remarks such as 'He should just stop being Japanese,' 'What a traitor,' 'Beyond redemption if he won't even listen to his family's pleas,' 'Why doesn't he just live i...