The Client State

By Kuniyuki Tanaka :: May 30, 2003

Japan always follows the United States. At the U.N. Security Council meetings before the outbreak of Gulf War II, France openly opposed a second resolution authorizing the the U.S. to disarm Iraq by force. Japan, in contrast, suported the new resolution, which meant that Japan was backing the United States. This attitude, however, did not reflect public opinion in Japan. Without any convincing explanation to the citizens in the Diet debates, the Japanese government simply adopted the U.S. position.

The Japanese government gave its support to the U.S. intervention in Iraq against the background of concern about North Korea. The Communist country, which abducted several Japanese citizens, withdrew from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and is threatening to build a nuclear arsenal. In case of a Korean nuclear attack, Japan must rely on the U.S. for its defense. Thus, the Japanese government could not discuss the Iraq issue without taking Kim Jong Il into account. This point considered, the government may have acted rationally and served the national interest.

Japan’s Constitution, however, makes it difficult to wage war. The constitution adopted after World War II embraces pacifism: article 9 states that “the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation” and “land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained.” Despite these principles, Japan has formed Self-Defense Forces and devotes large amounts of money to their maintenance. Then, faced with the Iraq issue, Japan chose to rationalize the use of U.S. force rather than to appeal for a peaceful solution of the crisis and continued inspections for weapons of mass destruction. Where on earth has the idea of pacifism gone?

The Japanese have lived in peace for more than 50 years but they have come to disregard the significance of the pacifist constitution. Article 9 has become no more than a name. The Japanese assume to be pacifists under the American nuclear umbrella. The country on which the U.S. dropped their bombs in the past is practically under their control now. Yet, as the only country ever to experience the devastations of the atomic bomb, Japan can testify before the world to the brutality of war. Is the nation going to abandon its stance against warfare and let the horror of war return?

It is vital that Japan should define its standpoint and make its presence felt in international affairs. Now, however, Japan is merely riding on the boat steered by the U.S., which is evident in the recent amendments of emergency bills as well. The discussion of the bills served only to accede to American requests. In essence, the bills enlist not only the Self-Defense Forces but the whole nation in U.S. warfare. As long as Japan is infirm of purpose before the U.S., it will not be recognized as a real partner.