Why Japanese officials visit China 'to explain diplomacy'

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Why Japanese officials visit China 'to explain diplomacy'

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With the year 2004 just begun, Japan's frequent political moves have attracted high attention from its neighboring countries. First was Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi's fourth visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on January 1, followed by news about Japan's Peace Constitution soon to be repealed and then the immediate dispatch of massive troops to Iraq. These series of actions indicate that Japan will make considerable political and military breakthroughs in 2004.

In a bid to reassure its neighbor China, Japan has sent several senior officials to China to explain its policy so as to dispel China's doubts. Coincidentally, these officials visited Beijing at the same time, forming a special phenomenon of Japanese officials paying frequent courtesy calls to Chinese departments concerned.

Takemasa Moriya, deputy director general of the Secretariat of the Defense Agency of Japan, began from January8 his three-day visit to China and will meet with deputy chief of the general staff of PLA, Xiong Guangkai on January 9, for Sino-Japan talks at the level of vice-defense minister, talks resumed at this level after an internal of three years, during which both sides will exchange opinions on the North Korean nuclear issue. With regard to Japan's formal decision to introduce a missiles defense system, Moriya explained that it was purely defensive defense, and expressed his hope for understanding from the Chinese side.

While the Japanese vice-defense minister was making "explanations" in Beijing, Japan's vice-foreign minister was also in Beijing explaining to the Chinese Foreign Ministry the reason for Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine as well as the Japanese government's stand. According to the Japanese side, Wang Yi, Chinese vice-foreign minister, held talks with his Japanese counterpart Ichiro Aisawa on January.8. Wang expressed his stand concerning Japan's dispatch of troops to help Iraqi reconstruction: " (The dispatch without a UN resolution) is different somewhat from Japan's earlier idea. We hope that Japan can give full explanations on this issue to its neighboring countries as well as various Asian nations."

With respect to Japanese officials' explanations, Wang Yi pointed out: " China has a lot of reports on Japan's recent moves on security and military affairs. Asian countries are all deeply concerned about this." Regarding this, Ichiro Aisawa says : " Japan will respect the constitutional idea and make response on the basis of international appraisal of postwar Japan. Japan will try to explain all of this to the neighboring countries." Wang Yi repeated China's objection to Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine. He said: " It is hard to accept the idea that it is totally an issue related to Japanese domestic affairs, culture or custom. Here involves the issue of Class-A war criminals of WWII, and there exists the influence that goes beyond Japan's boundary."

It is not rare that senior Japanese officials come to China to explain Japan's stance. But such frequent and intensive "explanation of diplomacy " is seldom seen. Chinese scholars have expressed their worries about this omen. Behind the diplomatic "communication" by officials sent by Japan to China at the beginning of this year represents Japan's massive breakthrough of the boundary line, Japan's eagerness to continue marching toward a political and military power is all too clear.

Koizumi led the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan in winning the election last year. The Japanese Diet has been dominated by the two conservative parties. After gaining a firm political foothold, Koizumi was determined to work with a will. So, he deliberately chooses to do what the Chinese oppose. He would stir whichever nerve of the neighboring countries is weak. The philosophical logic of this political action is that in last year's election, Koizumi had gone through the nationals' collective test, the strong diplomacy he led, instead of being opposed by the nationals, helped his Liberal Democratic Party win the election. According to this logic, the farther he goes diplomatically, the more he represents the "public will".

Koizumi is well aware that his visit to the Yasukuni Shrine would arouse the strong reaction from China, South Korea and other countries. But he still chose the New Year's Day to go there. This move of Koizumi aims to indicate to the nationals that firstly, he would honor his promise, made during the election, of paying visit to the Yasukuni Shrine every year, secondly, to force the neighboring countries to accept such visit as a fact. The following climate prevails in Japan: one who curses China gets the most votes; and one who dares to say "NO" to the neighboring countries can be elected.

It is known to all that Japan's peace Constitution, though existing in name only, is the source of strength on which Japanese peace fighters rely for their struggle and the bottom line they hold fast to. British newspaper Thames reported on January 7 that the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan headed by Koizumi would put forward a proposal to the Diet next week, which will mark the beginning of a revision of the Peace Constitution. This move implies that the Japanese Constitution, the only one in the world which includes the promise of "no war forever", will possibly become a thing of the past as early as next year.

What's more, Nakasone Yasuhiro, former prime minister of Japan, said in his speech at the Japan Association of Foreign Journalists on Jan.7: " Based on the explanation of the constitution, I don't think it a breach of the constitution that Japan holds (in its defense policy) nuclear weapons within the scope of defensive defense." He holds that it is in compliance with the constitution to have nuclear weapons under the circumstance of additional conditions. Though he has retired as a political veteran in Japan, his attitude at least shows that a considerable political force favors Japan's possession of nuclear weapons. Whether this is bluff or not, it at least indicates that Japan has been ready for action on the issue of nuclear weapons.

Japan has a lot to do in 2004, most of which will cause concerns among its neighbors and even trigger a political quake in the region of East Asia. But what has happened in January has indicated that 2004 will be an eventful year for Japan. When the worries of its neighbors have not been dispelled, the more excited Japan is, the more worried its neighbors would be. The wishes of China and Japan to break the political deadlock and settle the historical problems between the two countries will face enormous challenge.

An article from People's Daily by Shi Hongtao on Jan.9 and translated by PD Online Lijia

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