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New Excuse for Participating in TMD Program
The Japanese Cabinet Conference approved and published the "Defense White Paper" 2000 edition on July 28. The frame of the content of this White Paper is the same as previous ones, composed of five parts including the international military situation and Japan's defense policies. Noteworthy is the account about China's missiles. The White Paper 1999 edition claims that "the Asian region comes within China's missile firing range", the White Paper of this year's edition states that "the Asian region including Japan comes within China's missile firing range". The White Paper gives prominence to the so-called threat posed by China's missile to Japan.
People can't help asking: that there is no change in China's missile firing range both last year and this year, then why does the author of Japan's Defense White Paper of this year's edition think it necessary to highlight China's missile firing range that "includes Japan"?
As is well known, Japan began in 1998 to actively participate in the American TMD system. In early 1999, Japan allocated US$8 million for this program. In participating in the costly TMD program, Japan must give its reason in order to win the understanding of its nationals. At that time, the "reason" presented by Japanese officials was that Korea's launch of missiles constituted a threat to Japan. However, the inter-Korean summit in June this year has brought about a historic turn from intense confrontation to relaxation in the Korean Peninsular situation. Leaders of DPRK recently indicated their willingness to give up missile tests conditionally. The development of the situation has divested Japan of any excuse for its participation in the TMD program.
The "theory of Korea threat" has shaken, but Japan will continue to participate in the TMD program. To justify TMD, the author of Japan Defense White Paper brazenly wields the "theory of China missile threat" in defiance of the reality of Sino-Japanese relations and the desire of the Chinese and Japanese peoples to be friends from generation to generation. A Japanese newspaper points out in its editorial that Japan regarded the Soviet Union as a threat during the times of the Cold War, and Korea as a threat after the Cold War, and now it adds China threat, using which as its reason for enhancing its defense force, this is not an appropriate choice".
People have become accustomed to Japanese right-wing forces' clamor about the "theory of China threat". However, the fact that the "Defense White Paper", an official document of the Japanese government, openly induces the "theory of China threat" is the first time and so merits attention.
Chinese President Jiang Zemin paid a historic visit to Japan in 1998, during which he and Japanese leader jointly "established the framework of the friendly, cooperative partnership devoted to peace and development". In May this year, when meeting with Japanese friendship visiting group, President Jiang delivered an important speech on strengthening Sino-Japanese friendship, which has yielded important, positive influence on the sound development of the ties between the two countries. People have noticed that on the very day of the publication of the "Defense White Paper" 2000 edition, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori gave a speech on administration at the Japanese Diet, while speaking about Japanese-China relations, the prime minister indicated that he "would make use of all opportunities to further strengthen Japanese-China friendly, cooperative partnership oriented toward the 21st century". Continuing to develop Sino-Japanese ties conforms with the interests of the two countries. If one side regards the other side as a threat to it, then how can the "friendly cooperative partnership" develop smoothly? The White Paper has obviously driven a wedge into the smooth development of Sino-Japanese relations.
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