BAGHDAD, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent remarks regarding China's Taiwan were "irresponsible," and such an attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs is like playing with fire, an Iraqi politician has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Kawa Mahmoud, the former secretary of the Central Committee of the Kurdistan Communist Party/Iraq, said that Takaichi's remarks, which sent a wrong signal of attempting to intervene militarily in the Taiwan question, were "irresponsible statements that do not reflect a degree of political rationality."

"It seems that the current Japanese government has not learned from history and continues to adopt provocative rhetoric that is far from responsible with regard to issues of peace and security in the Taiwan Strait," he said.

He noted that Japan is disregarding the facts that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair, and that how it is resolved is a matter for the Chinese people, adding that these facts have not only been endorsed by the international community and international law, but also previously acknowledged by Japan itself.

History cannot be ignored and the peoples of Asia still remember the crimes committed by Japanese militarism during World War II, said Mahmoud. Before speaking about regional security, Japan must face its past honestly and respect the feelings of the peoples who had suffered from its aggression, he added.

Mahmoud said that Japan needs to adhere to the spirit of the peaceful constitution it pledged to uphold after World War II. He observed that in recent years, Japan has made adjustments to its security policy, expanded its defense budget, eased restrictions on arms exports, and sought to develop offensive weapons, indicating a clear descent into the wrong path of military expansion.

"This not only threatens regional stability, but also affects international security and peace," he noted.

"If Japan is truly concerned about international stability, it must stop provocative statements and practices, abandon seeking pretexts for military expansion, adhere to the path of peaceful development, and work to build mutual trust with its Asian neighbors for a peaceful and prosperous future in Asia and the world," he stressed. Enditem