In response to the attack on Akio Yaita, CEO of the Indo-Pacific Strategic Think Tank and senior Japanese media person, in Taichung in July this year, the Taichung District Prosecutor's Office announced the results of the investigation on the 6th and imposed a five-year sentence on the suspect. In this regard, Akio Yaita pointed out that the investigation results showed that the incident was not a "mistaken identity" as initially claimed, nor a "simple public security incident" as China's Taiwan Affairs Office called it, but an "organized, planned, and paid" cross-border violent action; the prosecutor further pointed out that its purpose was to create a chilling effect and achieve the effect of "killing one person to scare hundreds."
Akio Yaita posted a post on the Facebook fan page "Akio Yaita Club" on the 6th, saying that he was grateful to the prosecutors for clarifying the truth in a short time. He also pointed out that in recent months, similar incidents have occurred one after another in different democratic countries, including someone in the United States who was accused of spying on President Lai Ching-te's family for the Chinese government; a Chinese restaurant named "Xi Jinping" in South Korea was broken into and vandalized by four Chinese men; and objects mixed with white paint and feces were thrown at the Camidi Comedy Club in Taiwan because a performer had publicly mocked Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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Akio Yaita believes that these incidents reflect a phenomenon that deserves great vigilance, that is, "Chinese-style cross-border repression" is moving from online intimidation to destroying property and hiring people to commit violence. It extends from targeting individuals to their families, and also extends from Taiwan and Hong Kong to democratic societies such as the United States and South Korea.
He pointed out that what such actions really want to create is not just a harm, but a kind of fear, so that people who are ready to criticize China start to worry about whether their families will be monitored, whether their companies or stores will be in trouble, and whether they may be attacked by others.
Yaita Akio said that when people start to censor themselves out of fear, the purpose of cross-border suppression has been achieved. He described, "Although the fist hit me in the face this time, what it really wanted to knock away was everyone's courage to speak." Therefore, this is not just his personal matter, nor can it be regarded as just an ordinary security case.
Regarding how to respond to cross-border violence, Akio Yaita advocated the need for democratic countries to unite. Taiwan, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and all partners in the democratic camp should establish a common line of defense to prevent the Chinese authoritarian government from continuing to export violence and fear to democratic societies.
Yaita Akio emphasized that he will not be silent because of this attack. Instead, he will continue to do what he thinks is right, continue to speak out for Taiwan and freedom, and promote exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and democratic countries.
He said that the purpose of violence is to silence people, so "the best answer is to continue to say what you want to say and continue to do what you want to do."
