CHINA, FOREIGN POLICY: Japan Should Seek a Balance in Multilateral Relations
By Dorothy Wong
Japan is preparing to levy penalties on North Korea, which handed over a box of mixed human bones as the remains of Megumi Yokota, a young Japanese woman kidnapped by North Korea long ago. As bystanders, we may quite well understand Junichiro Koizumi's government in terms of the strong patriotism that the typical Japanese has long possessed. However, is it the only driving force for them to do so?
As far as the Japan-U.S.A. alliance is concerned, the Japanese authorities nowadays are seeking to play a more decisive role than ever before in Asian political issues. From this perspective, it's urgent for Japan to interfere in other countries' domestic policies to prove itself the best friend of America in East Asia. Doubtless, the matter of Megumi Yokota's remains is a good opportunity to do so. It is not hard to see that Japan is making desperate efforts to cater to the United States, including sending troops to Iraq for peacekeeping
Though Japan in recent years has ranked among the top three nations in the economic field, they are still dissatisfied with their political status and influence in the world. As the absolute No. 1 world power in every aspect, the United States is the only one that can help Japan realize its everlasting political dream--dominance of East Asia. With this goal as their most crucial principle of behavior, Japan's recent foreign policies seem to be quite aggressive.
Beginning with the widespread debate over the revision of the constitution, the Koizumi administration is inclined to hold a rather hostile attitude towards some of the Asian countries, especially North Korea and China. Besides the fact that the document has officially announced the so-called "China Threat," Japan is planning to stop providing financial aid to China by 2006, as China's economy is developing so rapidly as to threaten Japan's leadership in Asia.
In my view, even concerning Japan's own interests, what the Japanese government has done is unreasonable. Take economic assistance for example, it is generally acknowledged as a two-win policy. On the one hand, most of the money is used to improve the basic infrastructure in China. On the other hand, through this financial aid, many Japanese companies gain precious, exclusive chances to invest in China.
By contrast, the Bush administration is wiser, treating political and economic ties with China in two different ways--criticizing some of the government's policies like human rights while bolstering mutual economic cooperation. Hence, it's particularly necessary for the Japanese government to seek a balance in multilateral relations rather than regarding the United States as their only political partner.
As it stands, the current hostile foreign policy will block Japan from participating in further regional affairs making the island nation more solitary than ever before.
Japan is preparing to levy penalties on North Korea, which handed over a box of mixed human bones as the remains of Megumi Yokota, a young Japanese woman kidnapped by North Korea long ago. As bystanders, we may quite well understand Junichiro Koizumi's government in terms of the strong patriotism that the typical Japanese has long possessed. However, is it the only driving force for them to do so?
As far as the Japan-U.S.A. alliance is concerned, the Japanese authorities nowadays are seeking to play a more decisive role than ever before in Asian political issues. From this perspective, it's urgent for Japan to interfere in other countries' domestic policies to prove itself the best friend of America in East Asia. Doubtless, the matter of Megumi Yokota's remains is a good opportunity to do so. It is not hard to see that Japan is making desperate efforts to cater to the United States, including sending troops to Iraq for peacekeeping
Though Japan in recent years has ranked among the top three nations in the economic field, they are still dissatisfied with their political status and influence in the world. As the absolute No. 1 world power in every aspect, the United States is the only one that can help Japan realize its everlasting political dream--dominance of East Asia. With this goal as their most crucial principle of behavior, Japan's recent foreign policies seem to be quite aggressive.
Beginning with the widespread debate over the revision of the constitution, the Koizumi administration is inclined to hold a rather hostile attitude towards some of the Asian countries, especially North Korea and China. Besides the fact that the document has officially announced the so-called "China Threat," Japan is planning to stop providing financial aid to China by 2006, as China's economy is developing so rapidly as to threaten Japan's leadership in Asia.
In my view, even concerning Japan's own interests, what the Japanese government has done is unreasonable. Take economic assistance for example, it is generally acknowledged as a two-win policy. On the one hand, most of the money is used to improve the basic infrastructure in China. On the other hand, through this financial aid, many Japanese companies gain precious, exclusive chances to invest in China.
By contrast, the Bush administration is wiser, treating political and economic ties with China in two different ways--criticizing some of the government's policies like human rights while bolstering mutual economic cooperation. Hence, it's particularly necessary for the Japanese government to seek a balance in multilateral relations rather than regarding the United States as their only political partner.
As it stands, the current hostile foreign policy will block Japan from participating in further regional affairs making the island nation more solitary than ever before.
1 Comments:
At 11:12 PM , Anonymous said...
I'm not really familiar with the penalties against North Korea you refer to - thanks for point it out, though.
There are, however, a few things you say that I don't exactly understand:
1) You say "From this perspective, it's urgent for Japan to interfere in other countries' domestic policies to prove itself the best friend of America in East Asia." Is "interfere" exactly the right word for what you're trying to convey? Since I'm not exactly sure what you're driving at, I ask this. Why is Japan levying the penalties? Is it as some sort of punishment for Megumi Yokota? Is it simply to aid U.S. policy on Korea? The first wouldn't necessarily be interference, while the second sounds much more so.
2) You also say "As the absolute No.1 in every aspect, the United States is the very one that is competent enough to help Japan realize its everlasting political dream." What exactly is Japan's everlasting political dream? You don't say exactly what it is. I could interpret this several ways, I'm unclear as to what you mean.
3) While I agree that Japan identifying China as a "threat" sounds aggressive, I don't quite see the connection to stopping foreign aid. You say "Japan is planning to stop providing financial aid to China by 2006 as China's economy is developing so rapidly as to threaten Japan's leadership in Asia." But couldn't Japan be ceasing aid not because of fear but simply because they think China has outgrown this kind of help? The Economist, after all, had a cover headline after the successful Chinese space launch saying "Congratulations China (so no need for any more aid, then?". There's been an increasing number of statements that China has developed to the point they don't require so much aid anymore. There's a fine line between respect and fear.
4) The Bush Administration has been much quieter, post 9/11 than previous administrations about subjects like human rights in China. They've basically stuck to economic cooperation and put the other stuff far back on their agenda, so I'd say the Bush administration has been pretty much sweet on China for 4 years. I'd be curious to know exactly how development aid has gotten Japan exclusive investment opportunities - I've never heard it discussed that way.
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