Japan is the Northeast Asian divisionist dream of America: Kishida’s servitude
Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is a peculiar nationalist party that outwardly shows revisionist tendencies concerning petty nationalism. Yet, the same LDP tolerates the Moonies converting Japanese nationals and is protected by the military might of America.
Under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the militarization of Japan is taking shape. Hence, despite Japan holding the highest ratio of debt of any modernized nation in the world, Kishida plans for Japan to become the third biggest spender on its armed forces.
Kishida, enjoying the limelight after visiting the Ise Shrine, said Japan would deepen its alliance with America concerning the military angle – that is in line with Japan’s new defense strategies. Naturally, for nations in Northeast Asia, it implies that Japan will follow America’s containment policies of China and the Russian Federation.
Japan will coordinate with non-Northeast Asian nations despite belonging to the region geopolitically. Despite the groveling nature of the new leader of South Korea toward Japan, it is most unlikely that this will last. This concerns the internal anti-Japan dynamics in South Korea related to historical revisionism under the ruling LDP. Also, South Korea does not seek to meddle in the Taiwan Question, unlike Japan. Therefore, Japan is the linchpin in anti-Northeast Asian intrigues that run directly through the corridors of power in Washington.
Kishida – hiding behind the coattails of America – declared, “We will show to the rest of the world an even stronger Japan-U.S. alliance, which is a linchpin of Japanese security and diplomacy.”
Voice of America reports, “Japan, under the new security and defense plans, is purchasing hundreds of U.S.-developed Tomahawks and other long-range cruise missiles to preempt possible attacks and also building up defenses in southwestern Japan amid growing worries of a Taiwan emergency. Japanese media said the U.S. and Japan are expected to discuss how they would cooperate in the event of a conflict over Taiwan.”
China and the Russian Federation are alarmed by the new posture of Japan under Kishida. Also, with the enormous debt mountain – and declining birthrate – it seems a bizarre time to start a regional military arms race in Northeast Asia.
Andrey Rudenko, the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, said, “We have taken note of the [Japanese Prime Minister Fumio] Kishida administration’s accelerated implementation of abandoning a policy of peaceful development, which has been professed for many decades, and embarking on a track of fast-tracked militarization. Among the concrete steps along these lines are the holding of large-scale military exercises near Russia’s borders together with non-regional partners, the adoption of an updated version of doctrinal documents in the field of defense and security with a view to creating an attack potential and an unprecedented increase in defense spending.”
He continued, “We consider such activity by Tokyo as a serious challenge to the security of our country and the Asia-Pacific Region as a whole. We warn that if this practice continues, we will be forced to take proportionate counter-measures in order to block military threats to Russia.”
Wang Wenbin, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson of China, said, “Hyping up the ‘China threat’ to find an excuse for its military buildup is doomed to fail.” This comment was uttered after Japan’s national security document said China was “the greatest strategic challenge ever to securing the peace and stability of Japan.”
The biggest military build-up in Japan since the Second World War (despite Maoism in China to the Soviet Union in history) is happening under Kishida. Of course, America not only welcomes this – but political elites in Washington are encouraging Japan to militarize.
Internally, the Kishida administration is a walking disaster. Every month is currently a trade deficit under Kishida, a 2.6% decline in real wages, the Nikkei declined by 9.4% last year, a 40-year high inflation figure occurred, fewer babies born in 2022, and focusing on reducing the debt mountain is now on hold because Kishida wants to double the military budget. Also, 40,000 deaths from Covid-19 (17,730 deaths under the late Shinzo Abe and Yoshihide Suga) under his leadership accounts for 70% of all Covid-19 deaths in Japan.
People in Japan should be worried by the nationalist tendencies of Kishida. This concerns his military and economic legacy long after he leaves office. Therefore, more welfare trimming and another tax by stealth to spend vast sums on weapons from America and further afield.
Historically, few nations have sought to meddle in the internal affairs of Japan. This doesn’t apply to America – from Commodore Perry and Gunboat Diplomacy to dropping two nuclear bombs, the elites in Washington have treated Japan disdainfully. Therefore, Kishida’s servitude is embarrassing!
Northeast Asian nations need to build trust instead of the “divisionist dream” of America. Even the late Shinzo Abe sought cordial relations with the Russian Federation. However, Kishida is intent on igniting a military arms race in Northeast Asia – based on America’s containment policies of China and the Russian Federation.
America can afford a military arms race similar to China. However, given the dire economic situation in Japan, can Japan afford the lofty military goals of Kishida?
https://tass.com/politics/1558645
https://tass.com/politics/1558659
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