By Li Kaisheng Source:Global Times Published: 2014-7-7 19:18:02
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe finally decided to take a reckless step on July 1, by gutting the war-renouncing Article 9 of its 67-year-old pacifist constitution. Japan allowed itself to carry out "collective self-defense," using military force to defend its allies under attack.
This is a landmark change in Japan's security policy. Like an exiled murderer, Japan, which ravaged many other countries during WWII, has re-drawn its long-scabbarded sword.
Washington hailed Tokyo's dangerous move, regardless of the concerns of some Asian countries. As the victims of Japanese invasion, they are unwilling to establish victimhood-driven relations with Japan unless the latter can fully repent and reflect on its wartime cruelty.
Japan is eager to restore its "normal state" status, but it will never get one without the proper attitude toward history. Germany has won back the respect of the international community by repenting and mending its old ways. Now it is a normal state and even a global leader in many spheres, including world security issues. There would be no reason to oppose Japan adopting collective self-defense if it acted like Germany.
The US politicians may argue that Japan is now a democracy and it won't seek the old path of aggression and expansion. But Japan had already built a limited parliamentary democracy before WWII, and the system failed to restrain Japan's belligerence.
In fact, Japanese right-wing activists have already shown their disregard for democracy. The Abe administration decided to "reinterpret" the constitution to regain collective self-defense. It was based on a cabinet decision instead of a democratic process of constitutional revision. How much authority Japanese democracy still has remains doubtful.
Some argue that Japan's highly developed economy and the deterrence from some nuclear powers will prevent Japan from starting another war. Such an idea makes sense but is overly optimistic.
In WWII, acquiring natural resources and markets was the impetus of Japan's invasion, and the lack of these resources is the nation's eternal predicament. When the global order has changed and Japan believes its access to resources and markets is in danger, war will become one of its options.
It is true that nuclear powers can exercise restraint on Japan, but as a country which is able to immediately extend its nuclear capability to military use, Japan will probably not be fully checked by the deterrence of these nuclear powers. What's more, as small-scale battles and short-term fights are becoming the prevailing forms of war, nuclear weapons will be of no use.
As the most senior hegemon in world politics, the US has the insight to see through these potential risks. But it is too eager to gain its own interests by balancing China's rise, which has blinded its eyes too much to make a fair judgment on Japan.
China and the US have many conflicts in different spheres, but they are not rivals in terms of the core geopolitical interests, and most of these contradictions can be kept within limits and compromised through negotiation.
Now, China is trying to build a new type of major power relationship with the US and avoid the "Thucydides Trap." But Washington conniving at Japan forces China to doubt its sincerity, and even reevaluate the prospect of bilateral cooperation on certain issues.
The risk of war is increasing in East Asia and checking Japan must be done by coordinated efforts of the rest of the region. A piece of advice to Washington and its Asian pawns that back Japan: If you have decided to wink at this warmonger, then stop pointing your finger at China for preparing for war.
The author is an associate research fellow at the Institute of International Relations, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn
