A small 1945 Soviet documentary about Japan's defeat caused alarm in Taiwan after being screened in a small office in Taipei. The screening, which took place last week at the Russian representation in the Taiwanese capital, was a private session intended for about 20 people, but was enough to worry the Taiwan Government.
Taiwanese authorities suspect that Moscow is helping Beijing resurrect the ghost of Japanese militarism. This theory is related to the fact that China and Russia are currently accusing Japan of returning to "militarism", at a time when the bonds between Taipei and Tokyo have been strengthening.
Taiwan views Japan as one of its main partners, and local authorities fear that this historical narrative campaign may serve to drive the island away from Tokyo. The documentary screening comes in the broader context of geopolitical tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, where mainland China and Russia have been drawing closer diplomatically.
