Anti-Russia Kishida and the usual grovel to America: China, Kurils, and amnesia
Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The two constant themes of the first six months of the administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Japan are his endless anti-Russia statements and depressing economic results. However, despite the Yen reaching a recent 20-year low against the dollar – and other negative economic news – the Kishida government is increasing military spending to an all-time high. Therefore, the latest Diplomatic Bluebook (Japan began this in 1957) is once more stating the illegality of the Southern Kurils (Northern Territories in Japan) being “illegally occupied” by Russia.
The terminology “illegally occupied” was last used in 2003. This highlights Kishida’s anti-Russia mantra that is never-ending. Nearly every other nation in Africa, Asia, and South America isn’t taking the same anti-Russia stance. Hence, Japan is being opportunistic under Kishida while it also highlights rising nationalism within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Kyodo News reports, “The dispute over the islands — Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group — stems from their seizure by the Soviet Union, Russia’s predecessor state, in the weeks following Japan’s World War II surrender on Aug. 15, 1945. It has prevented the two nations from signing a peace treaty.”
Historically, Japan only took the Ryukyu Kingdom (Okinawa) and northern Japan after the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912). Thus historically, the Southern Kurils don’t belong to either Japan or the Russian Federation. However, this land was taken because of Japan’s aggression against its Asian and Northeast Asian neighbors and are the consequences of losing the war.
The Diplomatic Bluebook also said the actions of the Russian Federation are “an outrage that undermines the foundation of the international order not only in Europe but also in Asia.”
Once more, the “tainted US glasses are on.” After all, America (and the usual Western Powers and rubber-stamped by Japan) bombed Serbia and took Kosovo away from this nation (many nations deem this to be illegal even today). Similarly, where was “the international order” of America dropping Agent Orange on Vietnam (and two neighbors not even at war), killing vast numbers during Operation Condor in South America, to more recent bombing campaigns against Iraq, Libya, and destabilizing Syria and Yemen after Obama sold huge quantities of military arms to the Saudi-led coalition.
Vast numbers are still being killed in the nations destabilized by America and its usual allies. The bombing of Libya also destabilized the entire Sahel region. Hence, the convulsions of the Barack Obama-backed military attack against Libya are still haunting the region in 2022 because you have tens of millions of people blighted by food insecurity and growing terrorism throughout the Sahel.
However, Japan didn’t even bat an eyelid – nor condemn and ask for sanctions to be put on America, France, the United Kingdom, and others who backed the destabilization campaigns of America. On the contrary, Japan provided more money to the American military bases in Japan. Therefore, Kishida’s key anti-Russia policy is based on amnesia and opportunism – similar to America and the United Kingdom ignoring the deaths they have collectively spread to several continents for many decades.
CHINA
Japan continues to follow America’s increasing anti-China and anti-Russian Federation policies. Thus Japan deems China to be a regional and international threat. The Diplomatic Bluebook brazenly says that China is “a source of strong concern from the aspect of security for the international community and regions including Japan.”
NHK reports, “The report says the world has now shifted to a period of full-scale races among sovereign states, notably between the United States and China, from the one where the US ensured stability and prosperity with its overwhelming political and military power.”
What economic prosperity did America produce in the aftermath of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Vietnam, Operation Condor in South America, the destabilization of Syria – and providing hundreds of billions in military arms to feed the Saudi-led bombing campaign against Yemen?
China must be deeming the statement highlighted by Japan’s Diplomatic Bluebook with utter bemuse. After all, what nations did China bomb in comparison to America since this Diplomatic Bluebook existed?
Ironically, Japan condemns China for increasing its military activities near Japan. However, Japan doesn’t condemn America for NATO expansion to the borders of the Russian Federation – nor American military supplies to Taiwan.
Hence, the amnesia of the Kishida administration – nationalism – and taking the knee to America is the new unholy trinity that is never-ending.
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