December 7, 2025 marks the 84th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, when the USS Arizona sank and its oil still leaks "black tears" in remembrance of that day. On this poignant date, CGTN released an online poll across its English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian platforms, gathering 10,862 responses within 24 hours. The survey highlights growing international concern over recent remarks and actions by the Japanese prime minister.
Key findings from the poll:
- 89.9% believe no country can stand aloof in resisting attempts to revive militarism.
- 65.7% support U.S. Pearl Harbor victims' families seeking compensation, urging Japan to offer a sincere apology.
- 69% warn of a resurgence of Japanese militarism as Tokyo accelerates its defense buildup, with its 2025 budget hitting 11 trillion yen—2% of GDP—ahead of schedule.
- 78.1% fear that a surprise attack like Pearl Harbor could happen again.
- 81.2% feel Japan’s expanding military presence in the Western Pacific risks dragging the United States into heightened regional tensions.
- 80.2% say the prime minister’s provocative remarks on Taiwan run counter to the longstanding U.S. position on the Taiwan issue and break the policy of "strategic ambiguity."
- 73% agree the United States, as a member of the World War II anti-fascist alliance, should explicitly demand that Japan’s prime minister retract her recent comments challenging the post-war international order.
- 82.3% urge the Japanese government to abide by the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, fulfill its obligations as a defeated nation, cease glorifying militarism, and honor its commitments to China and the international community.
As the global community reflects on history’s lessons, this poll underscores a collective call for vigilance. With the alliance between Washington and Tokyo at a crossroads, 73% of respondents believe the United States should press Japan’s prime minister to retract provocative remarks and reaffirm commitment to a peaceful, rules-based international order. Nearly nine decades on, the world watches: will the "black tears" of the USS Arizona remind leaders of the past, or could they fall again?
Reference(s):
Majority call on U.S. to press Japanese PM to retract remarks
cgtn.com
