Anti-Russia Kishida visits Vietnam: Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Agent Orange by the US
Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan is the most anti-Russia leader in living memory. Hence, during his recent – and ongoing – trips abroad, he can’t wait to ply the anti-Russia angle at the behest of America.
Japan and Vietnam share geopolitical concerns related to China. Also, economic bilateral ties further boost the Mekong Delta and assist Vietnam in its continuing modernization processes. Past administrations in Japan also value the importance of Vietnam’s independence. Therefore, Japan and Vietnam discussed the Mekong Delta, East China and South China seas, and other important areas.
However, the problem is Kishida and his anti-Russia rhetoric. Thus he is like “an American geopolitical ambassador” because no other leader in Asia is plying the anti-Russian Federation angle to the same extent.
Kishida will say anything, providing it contains his endless anti-Russia rhetoric. Hence, in Indonesia, Kishida mentions the “shared values of democracy.” Of course, he negates that West Papua is suffering today, just like East Timor yesterday.
In Vietnam, a Communist state, then the “shared values of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific” were mentioned by Kishida.
However, despite comments by Vietnam – and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine being promised – the nations of India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam – and others visited by Japan since the crisis emerged in Ukraine and the Donbas region – look favorably to the Russian Federation. Indeed, some Asian nations are at a loss by Japan’s slavish approach to plying the Ameican geopolitical card.
Kishida should be reminded that America dropped two nuclear bombs on Japan and did Agent Orange on Vietnam. Of course, being America, this nation even dropped Agent Orange on parts of Cambodia and Laos that weren’t even at war. Thus, for Kishida to ply the pro-America agenda in Vietnam is extremely ironic. After all, Vietnam to Iraq is a long way from America.
Also, when America dropped Agent Orange on Vietnam, did Japan impose sanctions on America? On the contrary, Japan made good profits from supplying American production chains. Hence, for Japan -under Kishida – to adopt such an anti-Russian Federation approach is appeasing Japanese nationalism within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party – and doing the bidding of America.
Kishida will probably not even note the irony of his anti-Russian Federation stance in India and Vietnam — for the Soviet Union provided much-needed assistance to both nations against outside intrigues. He also discusses the violation of sovereignty with nations including Indonesia and Turkey – while blissfully ignoring Turkey occupying Northern Cyprus and parts of North Syria – while bombing the Kurds in North Iraq. Equally, the people of West Papua want independence from Indonesia and the never-ending ethnic and religious changes that are happening to crush the Papuans.
However, for Japan – Agent Orange, Operation Condor, Iraq, Libya, and so forth – seem to have passed Japan by. For no economic sanctions on America. Therefore, Kishida’s endless anti-Russia stance is becoming too much when viewed within the approach of other Asian nations.
Japan and Vietnam relations are important. Thus Kishida should focus on nations viewed within the joint interest of all parties rather than plying the agenda of America and appeasing growing nationalism within the ruling LDP.
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