Japan is being dragged into America’s anti-Russia stance: China and Ukraine
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
In recent years, the anti-China rhetoric unleashed by Japan concerning Taiwan is reaching new heights, following on from America’s containment strategy of China that began under the former leader Barack Obama. America, which continuously seeks to pull the strings of Japan, is encouraged by the administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida concerning Japan’s recent statements concerning Ukraine.
Hence, the region of Northeast Asia (Japan, Northern China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and the Russian Far East) is witnessing the increasing security interference of non-regional forces. America is a persistent reality concerning its military bases in Japan and South Korea. However, America and Japan have enticed Australia, India, and the United Kingdom to join the fray.
The main concern for Australia and India is the growing clout of China throughout the Asia Pacific. China and India also have tense relations related to border issues. Yet, relations between India and the Russian Federation are extremely cordial. Therefore, for political elites in Moscow, Japan is being utilized by America to join the anti-Russian Federation bloc – even if Japan follows mildly compared with other nations (Lithuania to the United Kingdom).
Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Foreign Minister of Japan, gave his support to America – concerning the Ukraine issue – after meeting his counterpart Antony Blinken. Thus, even after the Afghanistan debacle, when Japan had to request support from nations including the Russian Federation, after limited information from America – Japan still can’t drag itself away from being the endless coattail of America.
Hayashi expressed that he is watching the Russian Federation with “grave concern” concerning the deployment of Russian Federation forces inside its own country. However, Hayashi is fine with American military bases being in a forward position in Okinawa (the former Ryukyu Kingdom). This concerns the defense of Japan and checking China in an area blighted by territorial disputes.
For Hayashi and Blinken (Japan and America), then having military bases in a more forward position – aimed at China and defending Japan – is somehow non-aggressive? However, when the Russian Federation concentrates its armed forces to deter the endless encroachment of NATO intrigues – along with military exercises in the Russian Far East (including the Kuril Islands) to put America on notice that this nation will defend its land in all directions – then Japan is now deeming this to be “a grave concern.” Therefore, the hypocritical stance is obvious.
Japan should focus on better relations with China and the Russian Federation. Instead, the past administrations of Shinzo Abe and Yoshihide Suga – similar to the current administration of Kishida in Japan – are intent on internationalizing Northeast Asia. Hence, Japan is encouraging more non-regional nations to enter the geopolitical landscape of Northeast Asia along with focusing on Taiwan from an anti-China stance.
Japan’s main concern is China. However, for America, this nation also wants to encourage Japan to take an increasingly hostile approach towards the Russian Federation. Therefore, Kishida told Biden – concerning the possibility of the Russian Federation attacking Ukraine – that his country would take “strong action in response to any attack.”
Kyodo News reports, “The Japanese and U.S. ministers reaffirmed their efforts to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.”
Gradually, Japan is falling into the anti-Russian Federation line since Biden took office. Hence, while Japan is more fixated on endless anti-China statements, it is clear to all regional nations that political elites in Tokyo are helping to internationalize the region. This is based on the containment policies of America that fuse naturally with anti-China and anti-Russian undercurrents that have persisted since the Meiji Restoration of 1868 and that have resurfaced in recent times.
Modern Tokyo News is part of the Modern Tokyo Times group
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