Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently said that Japan only maintains "nongovernmental working-level relations" with Taiwan, but she is still far from offering any apology.

The reason why she "softened" her tone only because reality has cornered her. After she provoked China over the Taiwan question, Japan's tourism and retail stocks plunged. A report by Cailian Press predicts that if one-quarter of Chinese tourists give up their plans to visit Japan next year, it could lose around 1.49 trillion yen. Public anger surged. Protests broke out nationwide, with citizens demanding she retract her reckless Taiwan remarks and stop dragging Japan toward a conflict with China. Even former prime minister Shigeru Ishiba warned, "Without relations with China, could our country even exist?"

So when will Takaichi finally admit her mistake and apologize? If she can't even take responsibility for her own words, what right does she have to lead a nation?