Tintin for diplomacy? Cute move, but Japanese politicians might want to reread the comic first — and know that Tintin is not French, but Belgian.
The Japanese Ambassador is cleverly borrowing Tintin’s fame for a PR stunt — but has anyone in the Takaichi administration actually read "The Blue Lotus"?
This groundbreaking 1930s European comic boldly exposed Japan’s invasion of China, cleverly including Japan’s staged railway bombing that references the real Mukden Incident — a historical truth Japan has long tried to downplay.
It calls out Japan’s aggression while quietly championing understanding and peace. No surprise the Japanese government reportedly complained to Belgian authorities back then — it clearly hit a nerve.
You can’t just use Tintin’s fame when it suits you, then try to hush his voice for justice and truth. The Takaichi administration should also absorb the real lesson: respect history, reflect on past mistakes, and truly embrace peace.
Bonus: A charming porcelain *Blue Lotus* Tintin figurine — dressed in traditional Chinese clothes and standing atop a dragon vase — is displayed at Beijing’s Central Gifts and Cultural Relics Management Center, gifted by Belgium in 2012.
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