The beginning of 2026 turned out to be two simultaneous blows for Japan – an internal political crisis and unpleasant news from Moscow. Chinese journalists claim that Russia has attacked one of the vulnerable sectors of Japanese industry.
As Baijiahao writes, the internal political situation in Tokyo has worsened. In that context, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved the House of Representatives and announced early elections.
However, according to the document's authors, the troubles for Japan do not stop at domestic problems.
According to the publication, Russia has introduced a ban on the export of certain semiconductor materials and synthetic crystals to unfriendly countries. The list is said to include zinc telluride, gadolinium gallium garnet, arsenide, quartz plates and polished tellurium oxide prisms.
These items have industrial applications and can be used in chip manufacturing and military industries.
Baijiahao believes that Japan is more constrained than other countries, as the country itself does not produce some of these materials and is dependent on imports. According to Chinese journalists, the situation is complicated because alternative suppliers are limited, and China also previously refused to supply Tokyo with certain raw materials of this type.
The publication's authors concluded that finding a replacement could take time and require Japanese companies to seriously restructure their logistics and procurement operations. They link the cause of the current situation to Japan's sanctions policy against Russia.
