Where the World's Views of America Come into Focus
|
|
Where the World's Views of America Come into Focus
|
Mar. 27, 2005
By Yoshiyuki Kasai
"The Son of Heaven (Emperor) of the Land of the Rising Sun sends this letter to the Son of Heaven of the Land of the Setting Sun. Are you well?" Thus starts a letter from Shotoku Taishi (574-622), then Japanese prince regent, to Emperor Yang Ti (569-622) of China's Sui dynasty.
As the letter clearly shows, in geopolitical terms, Japan recognized that it was an archipelago facing China as early as the seventh century.
FINANCIAL GAIN VS. COMMON SENSE
2005 marks the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. In retrospect, the early parts of the Showa era [the era of Hirohito] (1926-1989), before Japan's walk toward defeat in the war, suggest that the defeat stemmed from Japan's deviation from the recognition cited above. At the time, Japan realigned itself as "the Land of the Rising Sun in the easternmost part of Asia."
Overwhelmed by pressure from major businesses and public opinion to protect Japan's interests in China from anti-Japanese activity, Japanese leaders at the time, though fearing a military showdown with the United States, trapped themselves in an unwanted war with China. They thus gave Nationalist Party leader Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975), then leader of China, a perfect opportunity to drive a wedge between Japan and the United States. Japan's leaders then clung to groundless optimism, underestimating Washington's resolve.
As a result, they made other mistakes, such as agreeing to the Tripartite Pact with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy in September 1940, the stationing of troops in French Indochina in July 1941, and the war to create what it called "the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere." Eventually they were forced to start an unwanted war with the United States, leading their country to ruin.
After a lapse of 60 years, Japan again stands at a major crossroads, faced with the proposal to form an East Asian Community, led mainly by China. The idea of the new grouping was floated for the first time during late November's "ASEAN Plus Three" summit in Vientiane [Cambodia], which involved Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as well as Japan, China and South Korea.
Although many people believe that the idea is unrealistic, leaders of the 10 ASEAN countries, plus China, Japan and South Korea, will hold the first meeting of the East Asian Community in Kuala Lumpur later this year. The meeting is scheduled to take place without formal debate, supposedly in consideration of Japanese business leaders and companies that have made huge inroads into China.
In other words, an extremely important national policy is being shaped without proper public debate, and the public is being forged to accept it as a fait accompli, without heeding the strong concerns of our ally, the United States. I feel quite alarmed when comparing these developments with what happened before 1945.
ALARMING DEVELOPMENTS
Since George W. Bush's inauguration as U.S. president in 2001, Japan-U.S. relations have rapidly improved. The two countries are now on the best terms in their history, with their partnership hailed as the most important in the world. China obviously aims to drive a wedge between Japan and the United States by involving Tokyo in this East Asian Community - to the exclusion of Washington. The Chinese move - in parallel with an anti-secession law designed as a first step in conquering Taiwan - will never be compatible with the security treaty [with the U.S.]
Those in Japan campaigning in favor of the proposed regional community say that they will continue to support the Japan-U.S. security treaty. If they are sincere, their trust in the treaty should be backed by practical measures: Japan should first declare its right to collective self-defense with the United States, positively accept the presence of U.S. forces - who are now in the process of a major realignment - and configure the Self-Defense Forces so that they can closely cooperate with the U.S. military.
Economically and in the industrial sector, Japan should deepen its interdependence with he United States. Only after we take all of these steps and cement our relations with the United States, should we embark on a debate about an East Asian Community. Needless to say, such a debate must proceed publicly, transparently and strategically.
The word "community" usually reminds us of something like the European Union, which is formed on the basis of treaties signed by nations that share common doctrines and values, such as democracy, freedom and the protection of human rights. They should be geographically adjacent to one another and have relatively even populations - similar to a fifty-fifty merger of companies.
The proposed East Asian Community is a far cry from such a regional community. The area is too far-flung -- over a continent and an ocean. And, given the likelihood that China, by virtue of its population of 1.3 billion, will play a pivotal role, nothing but a lopsided merger can emerge. China's one-party Communist state is the very antithesis of democracy, freedom and respect for human rights. What is more, the disparity of gross domestic product per capita between the richest and poorest countries stands at 100 to 1 in East Asia, compared with a 10-to-1 gap in the E.U.
It is evident to everyone that an East Asian Community is an utterly unrealistic concept, and the Chinese know this more than anyone.
WHAT IS BEIJING UP TO?
Then why is China promoting the proposal? Beijing is apparently aiming to take advantage of the image of "East Asia" and "Community" for political purposes. If an East Asian summit actually takes place without both the United States and Taiwan, but with Japan, it will end up cracking Japan's relations with the United States, and neutering the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Such a development would be a prelude toward taking Taiwan off the international stage.
During a Yomiuri International Forum session, held in Tokyo on March 9, Richard Armitage, former U.S. deputy secretary of state, indicated that Washington had already uncovered Beijing's real intentions.
"Whether or not the proliferation of forums in Asia are an attempt to either dilute the forums that the United States participates in, or to drive a wedge between the United States and Asian countries, or between the United States and Japan ... is an important question, and preliminary signs are not encouraging," he said.
What is important for Japan is to take the initiative of insisting that United States attend the planned East Asian summit.
Informed sources in Japan suspect that China's real reason for floating the idea of an East Asian Community, is to have Japan loosen its regulations on immigration. It would not be unsurprising if China proposed that Japan agree to increased immigration as the prelude to the formation of such a community.
If this is the case, China will have to reverse its own internal policies first - Beijing is not qualified to ask Tokyo to loosen its immigration rules, while it rigidly restricts the movement of the people within their own country.
However, some business leaders favor the idea, to cope with our low birthrate and aging population. It is shameful for them to suggest such a policy for the sake of their business interests.
CHINA IS TESTING OUR DETERMINATION
China is rapidly emerging as a military superpower. It already deploys many ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads, and the entire Japanese archipelago is within their range. Against such a background, China claims sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands - which are indisputably and inherently part of Japan - while its submarines have repeatedly intruded into Japan's territorial waters, while China continues to explore the natural resources in Japan's exclusive economic zone, infringing upon our sovereignty.
We must be aware that such moves by China are designed to test our determination and the effectiveness of the Japan-U.S. alliance, while trying to drive a wedge between Tokyo and Washington.
How can Japan cope with this situation? Armitage told the Tokyo forum that an increased collective self-defense capability would paradoxically make it less likely to be used. "Will China be a threat? They will less likely be a threat if we stay together," he said.
Armitage showed that Japan's only realistic choice - strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance - is the only solution for dealing reasonably and coexisting with China, which is not only Japan's largest trading partner, but is also our biggest military threat.
Only when both Japan and the United States demonstrate their common determination to make any sacrifice to maintain their alliance, will peace and stability in East Asia be ensured. That is what the ASEAN countries expect of Japan and the United States. To that end, Tokyo and Washington will have to send a crystal-clear message to China to let Beijing know that their alliance is unbreakable.
For its part, Japan should say it makes no sense at all to discuss the idea of an East Asian Community as long as Japan's sovereignty continues to be infringed by China.
Long-lasting, stable and amicable international relations are viable only if the countries concerned respect each other. If Japan is enticed by China's massive market to follow and flatter Beijing, China will take advantage of it, and the mutual trust between Japan and the United States will be impaired. Only a reasonable and resolute attitude can ensure mutual trust and respect, and which serves the national interest in the long term.