Sean: 冷却化した関係修復

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Posted by Sean:
冷却化した関係修復
http://whiteperil.com/posts/1160283021.shtml


   Prime Minister Abe [1]is headed to China and Korea for state visits:

     Just before taking off, Prime Minister Abe spoke to the press corps
     at Haneda Airport about the issue of Japan's acknowledgement of its
     history, stating emphatically, "We will act based on humble
     reflection on the past. I would like to make that the basis of my
     discussions [with the PRC and ROK] and look toward the future." On
     the Yasukuni Shrine issue, he stated, "I want to explain that most
     successive Prime Ministers paid their respects to those who died
     for their country and that we have made our pilgrimages in a spirit
     of seeking peace."

   Well, since that's the way the issue's been "explained" to the rest of
   East Asia for years now, I'm not sure what's supposed to make it more
   persuasive this time--especially since it's now going to be coming a
   from a known nationalist and apologist for Japan's wartime conduct.
   Of course, in that vein, Abe is already [2]maneuvering himself into a
   public position of greater neutrality:

     Abe was asked by Naoto Kan of opposition Minshuto (Democratic Party
     of Japan) his views on a statement issued by Prime Minister
     Tomiichi Murayama on Aug. 15, 1995, marking the 50th anniversary of
     the end of World War II, in which the government expressed remorse
     for its military actions during the conflict.
     "I have no plans of creating a new statement that would rewrite
     what the 1995 statement said," Abe said. "That statement was
     approved by the then Cabinet so it still lives on with my Cabinet."
     Abe also said that he, as prime minister, and the Cabinet had
     inherited a 1993 statement issued by then Chief Cabinet Secretary
     Yohei Kono on the "comfort women" issue.

   Of course, not all his equivocations are politically advantageous:

     In a typical Diet exchange Wednesday, Japanese Communist Party
     lawmaker Tadayoshi Ichida asked Abe about his thoughts on the view
     of history portrayed at Yasukuni Shrine. "Are you of the opinion
     that World War II was a war of justice seeking liberation of Asia,
     as has been argued by Yasukuni Shrine?" Ichida asked.
     Abe responded, "While I do not know if Yasukuni Shrine holds to the
     position that you have just stated, politicians should be humble
     when talking about the pros and cons of specific views of history."
     A stunned JCP leader Kazuo Shii said Abe's understanding of history
     issues was even more unfathomable than the views expressed by his
     predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi.
     "(Abe) did not even say that the stance of his government was
     different from that of Yasukuni," Shii noted.

   Of course, Abe doesn't have to worry much about making the Japan
   Communist Party happy; it's the PRC that's going to be difficult to
   mollify. Not that (back to the Nikkei piece) Japan is the only
   neighbor it's irritated with:

     In connection with the DPRK's declaration that it will conduct
     nuclear experiments, [Abe] indicated that he "want[s] to speak
     frankly with the Chinese and Korean leaders about the situation. We
     have to send a message that if North Korea does not stop its
     nuclear experiments it will be isolated from the international
     community."

   The Abe cabinet has its work cut out for it on military matters. As
   predicted, it's [3]looking into thinking about Article 9 and how Japan
   needs to adapt to new realities, including the possibility of
   collective [DEL: liberation :DEL] self-defense missions:

     The government's interpretation is that Japan has the right of
     collective self-defense, but cannot exercise it.
     Shiozaki's remark indicated that the government intends to change
     the conventional interpretation of the right, though it will limit
     the number of cases in which the right of collective self-defense
     could be applied.
     Shiozaki said: "The security situation in the world is changing,
     and Japan is urged to make efforts to make the Japan-U.S. alliance
     work properly. The prime minister's policy on the right of
     collective self-defense is to again discuss whether the
     conventional interpretation of the right by the Cabinet Legislation
     Bureau is appropriate in all cases.
     New Komeito, the junior coalition partner of the Liberal Democratic
     Party, has agreed to studies concerning the right of collective
     self-defense, but has strongly opposed changing the interpretation
     to allow the government to exercise the collective self-defense
     right.

   What's mildly alarming about this article is that it mentions
   interpretation rather than amendment of the constitution. I certainly
   hope that's not the direction the Abe government plans to pursue. (It
   wasn't before he was elected.) Interpreting the constitution to mean
   whatever the current government wants it to mean strikes me as an
   unwise precedent. I'd much rather see a straightforward amendment.

References

   1. http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/main/20061008STXKA006608102006.html
   2. http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200610050357.html
   3. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20061006TDY04003.htm