Limited Options against Missile Intimidation

North Korea’s missile launch over the sky surprised Japan so much. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had telephone conference with United States President Donald Trump unusually for two consecutive days. Japan is going to make every effort to urge United Nations put further pressure on North Korea. Nevertheless, Kim Jong-un boasts that he will continue the missile launch over Japan toward Pacific Ocean.

Government-owned Korean Central News Agency announced that the missile launch was made on the day of Japan’s annexation of Korea 107 years ago. “The bold operation that surprised cruel Japan settled accounts for accumulated grudge in our people’s heart,” commented KCNA. According to national media in North Korea, Kim issued an order that urged consecutive missile launches targeting Pacific Ocean for enhancing modernization of strategic weapons.

What Japan can do against provocative Kim regime is quite limited. Abe agreed with Trump on stricter sanction against North Korea. “Although I cannot say about the measures, we have completely agreed on the notion that launching missile over Japan was extremely dangerous and international society needed to put further pressure,” told Abe to the reporters. Trump argued that dialogue was not a solution and U.S. had been blackmailed in dialogue with them for twenty-five years in his twitter before the talk with Abe.

Receiving request from Japan and some others, U.N. Security Council adopted a presidential statement that condemned North Korea “for its outrageous actions and threats against another U.N. member state.” Japan considers proposing further sanctions against North Korea, including oil embargo which once was turned down by China and Russia in the last resolution against North Korea earlier this month. But, it is unlikely for oil embargo will reach an agreement in UNSC, while China and Russia requires U.S. to stop the joint military exercise with South Korea.

In the discussion of the Diet on Wednesday, the opposite party raised a doubt on a comment of Minister for Foreign Affairs, Taro Kono. Kono stated on the missile launch that North Korea had flinched from striking Guam. While Kono explained his comment as his analysis that the North refrained from doing that with high pressure from U.S., the opposite lawmaker warned Kono not sending wrong message to Kim regime.

Skepticism about early warning system against missile launch spreads in Japan. Although J-Alert system recommended the people in Japan to hide themselves into building or underground right after detecting the missile launch, they had only a few minutes to do that. A big question is what the people can do in ten minutes, the time of missile from North Korea arriving Japan.

Missile Over Japan

Missile provocation of North Korea unilaterally escalates. North Korea launched a ballistic missile from Sunan District of Pyongyang to northeast 5:58 a.m. on Tuesday. According to the government of Japan, the missile passed over Oshima Peninsula and Cape Erimo of Hokkaido, Japan, for 2 minutes and touched down on a sea area 1,180 kilometers east of Cape Erimo, ending its 14-minute cruise. It has not been confirmed that the missile dropped any object on Japan. The government disseminated information of missile launch, urging evacuation, to the people right after detecting it.

It was the fifth example for North Korea to launch ballistic missile over Japan. Ministry of Defense analyzed that the missile was possibly a middle range ballistic missile Huasong 12. With no early warning from North Korea, the missile reached the 550 kilometers of altitude, not on a lofted orbit with higher altitude, and 2,700 kilometers of distance. Rader system of Japanese Self-defense Force detected that the missile was separated in three during its flying. The launch is supposed as a protest against joint military exercise by United States and South Korea, called Ulchi Freedom Guardian.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe insisted to the reporters that the missile launch over Japan was unprecedentedly serious threat, eroding regional peace and safety, and he firmly protested North Korea. Abe also stressed that the government completely traced the move of the missile right after the launching. He requested urgent meeting of United Nations Security Council.

Abe made telephone call to U.S. President Donald Trump after the missile intimidation. In the 40-minute talk, they agreed on a notion that it was the time not for dialogue but further pressure. According to the briefing of Japanese government, Abe told Trump that it was a serious threat on a different level form previous ones and North Korea had no intention of dialogue. Trump reportedly told Abe that U.S. was 100% standing by Japan as an ally. But, Trump actually stood with the people in Texas on Tuesday, where Tropical Storm Harvey caused vast flood in Houston.

Smart phones of the people in eastern Japan suddenly rang on 6:02 a.m. on Tuesday, reporting the missile launch, with the warning system called J-alert. All the TV programs turned to black with the message of warning missile and urged the people to hide themselves in a firm building or underground. But, one woman in Sapporo commented to TV reporters that she could not find anywhere to hide herself. A fisherman looked outrageous with consecutive launches of missile from North Korea. But, no one appealed the possibility of war with North Korea, realizing it as a threat mainly directed to U.S.

Illegal Use of Umbilical Cord Blood

Joint investigation team of four local police offices in Ehime, Kochi, Ibaraki and Kyoto arrested 6 persons, including a medical doctor, with suspect of violation against Regenerative Medicine Safety Preservation Law on Sunday. They are suspected to have planting umbilical cord blood without registration to the government of Japan. It was the first time for the government to make forced investigation on illegal medication related to umbilical cord blood, which was supposed to work for beauty treatment.

Umbilical cord blood is retrieved from navel string or placenta, which includes stem cell generated to blood cell. Although stem cell medication has been making in treatment for leukemia through blood cell bank with governmental license, scientific effectiveness or safety in medical treatment for cancer or beauty treatment has not been reconfirmed. Having concern on such medical treatment with high reward, the government required submission of treatment plan after legislation of Regenerative Medicine Preservation Law in 2014.

The suspects include president of an umbilical cord blood bank, broker of the blood and a medical doctor in a medical clinic in Tokyo. According to the announcement of the police team, they planted umbilical cord blood on four patients for six times without license for doing that treatment. The president of the bank also suspected as making medical treatment in Kyoto.

The planted blood had been kept in a private umbilical cord blood bank, Tsukuba Brains, which had bankrupted in 2009. The arrested president of a blood bank obtained a thousand and some hundreds of blood objects for examination in 2010 and sold 300 or 400 of them to clinics in Tokyo and Osaka. It is supposed that the president have thought the business over umbilical cord blood was profitable.

Three patients out of ten who had the treatment of planting umbilical cord blood were foreigners mainly from China. While a planting medication cost ¥3 million, the patients visited Japan in anti-aging travel tours and had the treatment. A clinic in Tokyo advertised its treatment as effective for rejuvenating cells by ten or twenty years and easing pain in cancer treatment. One clinic has earned ¥200 million with the treatment.

Study on stem cell is still in a process of verification in Japan. While umbilical cord blood is used for treatment on leukemia through public blood bank, it is expected to apply the technology to regenerative medicine such as treatment for cerebral palsy. Medical doctors are worried about negative impact of the illegal treatment on development of regenerative medicine.

Chen, the Next Leader of China

Mainichi Shimbun reported on Monday that the Communist Party Secretary of Chongqing, Chen Min’er, was informally appointed to the successor of Chinese President, Xi Jinping, after Xi’s term would be expired five years later. Chen, affiliated to the Sixth Generation in　Communist Party of China, has won a firm confidence of Xi and been promoted on a elite course to the leader. It is obvious that Xi is paving a way to his long governance even after his resignation.

Chen worked as the Director of Public Affairs of Communist Party in Zhejiang Province, under the leadership of then Secretary Xi, from 2002 to 2007. In 2012, Chen moved to Guizhou Province with elevation to a member of Central Committee of CPC. After Secretary of the party in Chongqing, Sun Zhengcai, was disgraced by suspect of serious violation of party discipline last month, Chen was promoted to the successor of Sun, the post which was ordinarily a member of Politburo of the party central. Mainichi reported, based on information of multiple sources, that Chen would be promoted to a member of Standing Committee of Politburo of CPC in 19^th Party Congress in this fall.

Fast promotion of Chen can be paralleled with that of Xi. Xi was appointed to Secretary of the party in Shanghai in 2006 after major money scandal there. In 2007, Xi was promoted to a member of Standing Committee of Politburo, which was two-level stepping up toward the leader’s position. Mainichi indicated that Xi had great confidence in Chen, when Chen worked as an editor for Xi’s column articles in a regional newspaper. The article warned internal corruption of the party and recommended simple and thrifty way of life.

In coming Party Congress, it is expected that CPC will include an expression of “important thought for governing the nation by Comrade Xi Jinping” in revised Code of the Party. It can be upgraded to Xism in his resignation five years later, resembling thought of Mao Zedong called Maoism. If Chen is promoted to a member of Politburo, his main job will be completing theoretical construction of Xism.

It is reported that Secretary of Communist Party in Guangdong Province and a member of Politburo, Hu Chunhua, is ranked below Chen in the hierarchy of the party. While he has been recognized as the top runner for the successor of Xi, Hu was promoted with firm confidence of former President Hu Jintao. It is likely that Hu Chunhua will be stepping up from a member of Politburo to Standing Committee of Politburo in the Party Congress, indicating the post of Prime Minister of China in the future. Even after the promotion of next generation, centralized power of Xi will be maintained.

Warning against Flying Objects

Joint Chiefs of Staff of Republic of Korea released information on Saturday morning that North Korea launched short-range flying objects from eastern region of North Korea to Japan Sea. They have flown about 250 kilometers and touched down on the sea. Looked like protesting ongoing joint military exercise by South Korea and United States, it is still unclear what message did North Korea delivered with the launching.

According to U.S. Pacific Command, North Korea launched three short-range ballistic missiles on 6:49, 7:07 and 7:19. PACOM once announced that two of those three missiles failed during in the flying and another one exploded right after the launching, but it corrected the information that the missile launch was not in failure. The command insisted that the missile launch was not a threat on Guam, where the residents had been feeling uneasy after Kim Jong-um regime named Guam as a target of missile attack.

South Korean Presidential Office released a comment that it assumed those flying objects as revised 300 millimeters caliber multi-launched rockets and the military authority was making further analysis. Modern technology allows multi-launched rocket having advanced propulsion and cruise control, making distinction from missile unclear. That kind of rocket must be an actual threat for South Korea.

It is the overwhelming assessment that North Korea restrained from putting further pressure on U.S. by launching intercontinental ballistic missile. Kim Jong-un regime has been frustrated with joint military drill by South Korea and U.S. starting on Monday. But, escalated response would raise tension to the level unexpected events might happen. Mainichi Shimbun reported that an officer in South Korean Presidential Office realized the importance of the flying objects not being ICBM.

After announcement of its consideration of launching four mid-range ballistic missiles to Guam earlier this month, Kim Jong-un refrained from further intimidation with his intention of observing U.S. behavior for a while. U.S. President Donald Trump immediately responded and expected positive progress in the negotiation over nuclear and missile of North Korea. But, true intention of launching the flying object is still not clear.

Japanese television disseminated warning information of the launching in the early morning. After collecting information in Prime Minister’s Official Residence, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, explained the reporters that they were not directly affecting the security of Japan. Even it is short-range rockets, Japan has to maintain its warning against possible missile strike of North Korea anyway.

Postponing Approval for New Veterinary School

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology with weird abbreviation of MEXT announced on Friday that it would suspend its decision of the approval on establishing new veterinary school of Kake Gakuen in Imabari, Ehime, which was once planned this month. According to a person related to the project in the school, MEXT found the planning insufficient in terms of curriculum. No, it is obviously to remove criticism on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of his inappropriate favor to his old friend, Kotaro Kake.

In this March, Kake Gakuen submitted Minister of MEXT a plan of establishing Veterinary Division of Okayama Science University in Imabari in April 2018. MEXT required advice from Council of Establishing College and School Corporation and the Experts Committee on Veterinary Science of the council has been making research on Kake’s curriculum or financial plan. While Kake expected the school to be started with 160 students and 70 teachers, the committee advised that the number of students was too many and age of the teachers were relatively too high. Kake resubmitted a plan with 140 students and 2 additional candidates for the teachers.

The council has been expected to conclude the research on Kake Gakuen by this month. It is supposed that the council attached its opinion to the plan, finding some insufficiency in the plan. Kake is going to fix the problem of its plan by the end of September. If the new plan is not approved again, conclusion on new veterinary school will be postponed to December, possibly affecting the schedule of application for new students.

Against the basic principle of policy making in democracy, schedule, place or council members’ name is not disclosed to the public with strange reasoning of preserving neutrality of decisions. But, as long as the selection of Kake Gakuen has been doubted as a favor of Abe, it is necessary for Abe administration to disclose the process of examination, if Abe really hoped to remove the skepticism on him.

It is scheduled that supplementary elections for three vacant seats in House of Representatives on October 22^nd. The decision on new veterinary school may affect the result of the elections. The opposite parties are preparing for accusing Abe’s close relationship with Kake in next session of the Diet, which is expected to be convoked late September. There is a speculation in the leading party the Prime Minister’s Official Residence urged MEXT to postpone the conclusion after the supplemental elections. This educational policy is still affected political considerations.

Reviewing Disaster Prevention Measures

Having experienced unimaginably huge disaster in East Japan Great Earthquake, the government of Japan reviews the system of disaster management for the first time, since Large-scale Earthquake Management Act was activated in 1978. New measures for disaster prevention will not be based on technology for predicting major earthquake. The government is going to prepare for a great earthquake with more realistic measures not depending on scientific prediction.

Large-scale Earthquake Management Act was established for dealing with possible Tokai Great Earthquake, which was recognized as the only predictable major earthquake affecting Japan. When the government detects an auspice of earthquake underground, Prime Minister issues “declaration of warning” as a requirement of the law. To prevent disaster, 157 cities or towns in 8 prefectures take measures such as stopping trains and buses or closing schools.

As disaster study made progresss, it was realized that prediction of earthquake was further difficult than expected. One working group on disaster prevention concluded in 2013 that accurate prediction would be difficult. A working group in Central Disaster Prevention Council started study on possible Southern Sea Trough Great Earthquake, including Tokai Great Earthquake, last September. “Although Large-scale Earthquake Management Act is based on prediction, that basis has been changed and current disaster prevention measures need to be reviewed,” says the draft of final report of the group. Issuance of Prime Minister’s declaration will also be reviewed.

While CDPC finds the prediction impossible, disaster prevention needs to be prepared for various kinds of events such as an earthquake occurring in a part of possible earthquake area or minor earthquake with requirement of evacuation from tsunami. The national government urges each local government making disaster prevention plan even without concrete information for the prediction.

National government also assumes to have development plan in Tokyo metropolitan area for disaster prevention by Tokyo Olympic in 2020. It will reinforce capital highway, remove telegraph poles around stadiums, take measures for refugees unable to go home in major train stations and prepare waterbus to send foreign travelers to Haneda Airport. Learning the lessons in East Japan Great Earthquake, the measures include management of broad confusion among the people, recognizing certain limit of technological breakthrough in great earthquake.

Changing Policy for Survival

Toshiba submitted its annual securities report to Kantou Local Finance Bureau earlier this month. The company attached a limited approval of PricewaterhouseCooper Arata LLC, which indicated difference of assessment over when the managers of Toshiba had recognized the deficit in nuclear power generation business. Next issue is to which company it will sell its semiconductor business.

According to its joint settlement of account at the period of March 2017, which was announced with three months of delay, final bottom line of Toshiba was ¥965 billion of negative earnings, renewing the record of the greatest deficit of a manufacturer in Japan. Capital of stockholders at the end of March was reduced by ¥552 billion, which meant heavy insolvency.

PwC Arata concluded that the settlement of Toshiba was appropriate, while difference of opinion over deficit in nuclear power generation business still remained. “Our settlement proved to be normal,” told President Satoshi Tsunakawa. The settlement in the second quarter of 2017 marked ¥96 billion of profit, which was the best record of the company in any April-June periods. Final bottom line in the second quarter was ¥50 billion.

Now, Toshiba is seriously looking for a buyer of its semiconductor business to avoid being dropped out from the list of Tokyo Stock Market with two consecutive annual insolvencies. It was once announced that Toshiba would put priority on the joint group of Japan, United States and South Korea to sell the business. Then, Western Digital, a close partner of Toshiba, strongly opposed that policy, because WD’s investment in producing semiconductor could be handed over to its rival company.

Newspapers reported on Thursday that Toshiba was considering selling its semiconductors business to WD, shifting from Japan, U.S. and South Korea coalition. Concerning the lawsuit by WD opposing to the deal with the coalition, Toshiba changed its strategy in selecting its partner before the time limit for final decision set at the end of August.

The opposition between Toshiba and WD was stuck in a quagmire. Against the lawsuit of WD, Toshiba tried to counter with another lawsuit. However, financial supporters of Toshiba required actual contract with the buyer of semiconductors business by the end of August, concerning Toshiba falling into insolvency next march. Toshiba reluctantly accepted the deal with WD. It is still not settled to what extent WD will be involved in the management. The fortune of Japan’s one of the greatest electric appliance companies is still not clear.

Leave of Top Strategist

Newspapers in Japan reported the news of resignation of top strategist for United States President with a sense of surprise. In a series of confusion with false handling of politics, President Donald Trump decided to remove Steve Bannon from his administration, attributing most troubles to the strategist who directed Trump administration to exclusive policies against the minority. Dabbed as President in the Shadow, Bannon is supposed to be leading the campaign against his former boss.

Nikkei Shimbun reported Bannon’s argument that he had been thinking about leaving the administration a year after joining Trump campaign last August. But the newspaper quoted a comment of senior officer in White House, “This is 100% the decision of Mr. Kelly,” indicating the leadership of White House Chief of Staff, John Kelly. “For Kelly who was trying to regain order in White House, which had been in a confusion with Russian scandal or information leaking, Bannon had been a problem child,” Nikkei described.

Bannon has often quarreled with Director of National Economic Council, Gary Cohn, Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, or her husband, Jared Kushner, over economic policy. Bannon dismissed their relatively moderate argument based on free trade and international cooperation, insisting on exclusive and unilateral stance. “We are at economic war against China,” Bannon reportedly said.

Bannon also opposed to Department of State, intervening in diplomacy and security issues. Conflicting with Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, Bannon led the policy of leaving the international framework for dealing with climate change, Paris Agreement. Against White House Security Advisor, H. R. McMaster, who argued necessity of keeping engagement to Afghanistan or Syria, Bannon delivered offensive words through his news site, Breitbart, which upheld white supremacism.

It was obvious that Trump’s neutral position between white supremacists and the protesters against them was affected by Bannon’s consistent viewpoint of extreme unilateralism. It was unrealistic for Trump to keep his top strategist in the administration, if he would want to maintain his Presidency

It is likely for Bannon to set a war against Trump. “The Trump Presidency that we fought for, and won, is over,” told Bannon after the resignation. Bannon has been a strategist for obtaining support from white workers, which consisted of Trump’s political basis. It is possible that Trump will lose his driving force with the lost of his strategist.

Election for Survival

The ailing biggest opposite party, Democratic Party, announced the election for next party leader on Monday. Former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Seiji Maehara, and former Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yukio Edano, filed for the candidates. They do not make clear difference in terms of policy. The biggest difference is how to stand against unilateral advance of Shinzo Abe administration.

With bitter defeat in the election of House of Representatives three years ago, DP has only 20% of share in the House, while leading Liberal Democratic Party occupies 60%. DP reduced its seat in Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly last month, suffering from sweeping advance of a regional party led by Tokyo Governor, Yuriko Koike. The biggest issue of DP’s presidential election is survival of the party.

As one of the leaders of conservative lawmakers in DP, Maehara hopes to seek a kind of partnership with Japan First, a political organization established by the colleagues of Koike last month. Based on the difference in policy, he rejects cooperation with Japan Communist Party in the election. “I want to build an alternative choice to LDP,” told Maehara in the press conference on Monday. “We have a historical mission to offer the people an alternative choice.”

Edano does not deny cooperation with JCP. He explores self-rebuilding of the party by offering policy choice against Abe administration. Criticizing unilateral procedure of Abe, he opposes reinterpretation of Constitution of Japan to allow exercising the right of collective self-defense or other policies. “Our standpoint is different from them who have approved new security legislation, Abenomics, Designated Secret Protection Law or conspiracy crime,” told Edano with negative stance against Japan First.

Frustrated with weak leadership of the party, some lawmakers left DP before or after the election of Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. Maehara tries to include those deserters in the reorganization of the opposite parties. Edano insists on rebuilding the party with basic policy such as maintaining Article 9 of the Constitution, stable social security or getting rid of nuclear power generation. He opposes consumption tax hike, from 8% to 10 % in October 2019, while Maehara approves it.

The voting day is September 1^st. Each member of House of Representatives or Councillors has two points in the election. Registered candidates for national election, local assembly members, party members or supporters are also eligible. It is speculated that Maehara leads in the votes of lawmakers, while Edano enjoys broad support from party members all over Japan. But, the greatest contender against those two candidates is an impression that neither of them can make any difference.

Essay Negotiation over Development of Northern Territory

Japan and Russia are negotiating on how they can cooperate each other in the development of Northern Territory of Japan, over which both governments have been disputing on sovereignty after the end of World War II. In the Vice-Minister level meeting last week, they considered what kind of projects would be possible there. In the concerted effort of the Western countries to put pressure on Russia after its invasion in Ukraine, Japan uniquely seeks economic cooperation to Russia.

Northern Territory consists of three islands and an archipelago: Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and Habomai. While Japan abandoned chained islands of Chishima, extended from northeastern Hokkaido of Japan and Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia, in San Francisco Treaty in 1951, it kept on arguing that Northern Territory was not included in the territory abandoned. In the negotiation between both governments, Japan insisted on returning three islands and an archipelago, while Russia rejected to return two of them, Etorofu and Kunashiri.

Looking for a breakthrough in the deadlocked negotiation, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Vladimir Putin agreed on seeking “new approach” in their meeting last year. “New approach” was interpreted as separating economic cooperation from negotiation over the territory. While Japan had been reluctant in economic cooperation before making progress in negotiation over returning the islands, it had to take further steps to maintain momentum of negotiation.

Basic stance of Japan is to explore development in islands to the extent of not eroding Japan’s sovereignty on the territory. Japan sent Northern Territory a delegation for researching economic potentiality in June. The delegation including engineer, retailer, fishery industry or medical doctor found possibility of business for infrastructure in roads or ports, cultivated fishery, retailing of family commodity or mobile medical treatment. The basic problem is under which laws, Russian or Japanese, should those projects be operated.

In the official meeting in Moscow on Thursday, both governments discussed their proposals, including sightseeing ships for visiting Northern Territory islands or cultivation of sea products. “We agreed on reporting our discussion to each of out top leaders and wait for a decision about what project is meaningful,” told an official from Japan. Although it is expected that Abe and Putin will discuss the promotion of joint economic activities in their meeting next month, major breakthrough will not be achieved as long as Russia is not serious about going beyond the line they have drawn.

Osprey, Go Home

Two tilt-rotor aircrafts called Osprey joined a combined military exercise of Japanese Ground Self-defense Force and United States Marine Corp in Eniwa, Hokkaido, on Friday. It was the first opportunity for the Ospreys to participate in an exercise in Japan after the severe accident offshore Australia on August 5^th. While the Japanese rely on the technology of shooting ballistic missile down with missile, they never believe in the technology of tilt-rotor aircraft. Civil groups protested the exercise with Ospreys outside the base.

Ospreys had been planned to join the exercise from last week. After the crush in Australia, Japanese government required United States Force to refrain from flying of those aircrafts until thorough investigation on the accident would be made. Ignoring broad uneasiness of the Japanese, U.S. Force kept on flying Osprey and did not change the plan to let them join the exercise in Hokkaido.

Two Ospreys left U.S. Misawa Airbase in Aomori in Friday morning and landed at Hokkaido Major Exercise Field. 160 members of GSDF 11^th Brigade stationed in Sapporo joined the drill of riding and getting off the aircraft separated in groups each of which consisted of 20 members. Ospreys were witnessed rotating above the land for many times and they returned to Misawa in early afternoon.

United States Force explained that Osprey is indispensable for military operations in Japan along with rising tension with North Korea, which keeps on intimidating United States and Japan with its missile and nuclear capability. Those Ospreys is stationed in U.S. Futenma Marine Base in Okinawa, where the people have been protesting the deployment of them. They could not accept new type of aircraft in Futenma, where both Japan and U.S. government promised removing danger from, or in Okinawa, where Japanese government promised to reduce their burden stemming from U.S. military’s occupation of the land.

Exercise in Hokkaido is one of the ways to reduce the burden of Okinawa. Having realized that necessity, the civil groups protested the drill including Ospreys, because they have caused severe accidents mostly every year. Some members of peace group chanted “Osprey, go home!” in front of a railway station close to the exercise field. “While it once was as bold as requiring self-restraint, Japanese government turned its back to the people after persuaded by U.S. We are worried about falling down of the aircrafts,” told a housewife living in a city around. This is a failure of Japanese government in informing them.

Business Deal on Aegis Ashore

Donald Trump administration of United States looks like dealing North Korean issue with business deals. Ministers and Secretaries on Foreign Affairs and Defense of Japan and U.S. had a meeting, called two plus two, in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. The leaders agreed on putting further pressure on North Korea and enhancing defensive cooperation of the both. Accepting offer from U.S., Japan decided to purchase ground-based anti-ballistic missile system, Aegis Ashore, to protect Japanese homeland. But, North Korea says that the main target is not Japan but Guam.

It was the first time for both government to have that meeting these two years and four months. With reshuffling of Shinzo Abe Cabinet, the posts were replaced by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Taro Kono, and Minister of Defense, Itsunori Onodera. From U.S. attended Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, and Secretary of Defense, James Mattis. All the members of the 2+2 were freshmen.

Four leaders reconfirmed that Japan-U.S. alliance including nuclear capability of U.S. contributed safety of Japan. They denounced North Korea with the strongest expression, stressing their enhancement of capability of the alliance to deter and deal with the threat. They agreed on putting pressure on North Korea for stopping development of missile and nuclear weapons with their effort to cooperate with other nations, urging China decisive measures to let the North reconsider their past behavior. To China, both governments expressed concern on the advance in South and East China Sea and reconfirmed application of Article 5 of Japan-U.S. Security Treaty on Senkaku Islands, which included U.S. obligation of protecting Japan.

The joint statement required Japan to expand its role in the alliance and enhancement of defensive capability of Japan. Japan promised to purchase Aegis Ashore from U.S. Japan has deployed SM3 anti-ballistic missile system to counter missile attack on Japan in the terminal phase of the orbit. Aegis Ashore is expected to shoot the missile down in outer space. Ignoring the negative effect of anti-ballistic missile system that would rather cause instability of nuclear deterrence, the Japanese are heavily depending on Aegis system in their mind.

It is supposed that Japan needs two sets of Aegis Ashore, each of which costs ¥80 billion. Ministry of Defense required budget for the military equipment without actual price, because they could not determined total cost for it. Intimidated by North Korea with consecutive missile launch and possible nuclear test, Japan easily accepted U.S. “Buy America” strategy.

Overturning Past Policy on Forced Labor

President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, announced on Thursday that he would recognize the right of compensation over forced labor under the administration of Japan in the time of World War II. It was a unilateral change of official policy of South Korean government, which had been that the compensation issue was settled. Receiving growing pressure from the people, Moon raised the diplomatic tension against Japan in a sensitive historical issue.

As supplement of scarcity of workforce in the wartime, the government of imperial Japan decided a plan for mobilizing labor in 1939, which supported a policy to mobilize 700 thousand of labor from Korean Peninsula. It was actually a false policy in terms of human rights. When it normalized the relationship with South Korea in 1965, Japan agreed on economic cooperation to South Korea, leaving personal compensation for Korean workers to South Korean government. South Korean government has been taking the same standpoint as Japan.

However, former workers argued that it was unacceptable for them not to have received distribution of money amounting $300 million from South Korean government. In the lawsuits against Japanese companies involved in mobilizing forced labor, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal or Nachi-Fujikoshi Corp, South Korean courts sentenced those Japanese companies to pay further compensation these years. Civil groups built a statue of forced worker in downtown Seoul last week.

In the press conference on the hundredth day from the inauguration, Moon supported the decision of South Korean Supreme Court in 2012 that recognized the right of mobilized workers for compensation for anti-humane illegal activities of Japanese government. “The agreement between the both governments cannot violate personal rights,” told Moon. “The sentence said that private rights still remain. Our government will deal with the issue on that standpoint.”

It is unacceptable for Japanese government that South Korea overturns traditional policy on it. Moon was one of the staffs of former President Roh Moo-hyun, who reconfirmed that $300 million of economic cooperation included compensation for forced workers. The overturning of past official recognition sounds like a populism giving in internal political pressure, which is also seen in other nations such as United States or United Kingdom.

It is likely that the relationship between Japan and South Korea will be further complicated. This is the time that North Korea continues provocation against those two nations with advanced capability of missile and nuclear weapons. Moon needs to have a broad perspective to deal with a sensitive international relation.

Tolerance with Discrimination

This is the President of “indispensable ally” for Shinzo Abe administration. United States President Donald Trump defended protesters against removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, VA, by accusing both sides of white supremacists and protesters against them. Keeping deep and consistent discrimination inside their society, Japanese people were shocked by U.S. President’s tolerance with racism.

Trump made the remark in an emotional exchange of words with reporters in a press conference at Trump Tower in Manhattan. “I think there is blame on both sides. If you look at both sides – I think there is blame on both sides,” reiterated Trump. “You had a group on one side that was bad, and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent. And nobody wants to say that, but I’ll say it right now. You had a group – you had a group on the other side that came charging in, without a permit, and they were very, very violent.”

Japanese newspapers remembered that Trump did not unequivocally condemn the white supremacists right after the crush of mobs in Charlottesville last Thursday. “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides,” told Trump. After receiving criticism against his unclear message, Trump tried to settle the dispute by blaming white supremacists. “Racism is evil,” told Trump in White House, “and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis and white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.”

Japanese news reports recognized Trump’s inconsistent responses as effusion of his racism inside. Asahi Shimbun quoted the facts that Trump picked Stephen Bannon, who had been running a white supremacist news site, for chief strategist of his Presidential campaign, or that racist groups were recruiting white workers in economically suffering area called Rust Belt.

Even a pro-American newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, also joined the blaming on Trump. Quoting a joke that a boy who broke a window glass with thrown ball argued his dad that the window broke his ball, the paper accused the excuse that blames were on both sides of ball and glass. “Blame a boy who does not apologize after breaking window by his ball,” the column article made a request to Trump.

Trump’s handling of the issue revealed a serious fact that he is not suitable for U.S. President. He is losing support from not only from Democrats but Republicans. “We must be clear. White supremacy is repulsive. This bigotry is counter to all this country stands for. There can be no moral ambiguity,” the Speaker of House, Paul Ryan, accused Trump in Twitter. Trump may evoke a serious question in Japan, for example: Do you think that blames are on both sides of North Korea with missile launches and Japan with missile defense, Mr. President?

Difference on Regret

The government of Japan held the ceremony for memorizing 72^nd anniversary from the end of World War II and praying for 3.1 million of war victims. Taking one of a few opportunities for addressing his speech on the past war before his abdication, Emperor Akihito expressed deep regret about the war. Making clear contrast against Emperor, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe refused expressing his regret as he had been for years. That difference would send a mixed message to Asian nations.

While the people were focusing on what kind of message Akihito would deliver, he made mostly the same speech as he had done in the previous year. “Hereby reflecting the past, with deep regret, seriously hoping the devastation of war not to be repeated, with all the people, I express condolences from my heart to the people who disappeared in the front line and fell down in devastation of the war,” said Akihito.

In the time of Crown Prince, Akihito raised four memorial days: August 15^th for the War-end Memorial, June 23^rd for end of Battle of Okinawa, August 6^th and 9^th for atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He has been making silent prayer on those days every year. After finishing his speech in the ceremony on Tuesday, Akihito stared at the signpost of victims’ soul on the stage for a while, expressing deep emotion on the outcome of the war.

Speech of Prime Minister was rather cool and dry. “As a nation hating war and respecting peace, our country has been going forward after the war,” said Abe. “Modestly facing history, we will keep this unshaken conviction in any time.” By focusing on the future, Abe avoided referring to regret on the aggression in Asian countries or responsibility of the devastation.

One news of the day was that no Minister of Abe Cabinet visited Yasukuni Shrine, for the first time as Liberal Democratic Party administration since Zenko Suzuki Cabinet in 1980. Frequent visitors such as Seiko Noda, Minister for Internal Affairs, refrained from going to Yasukuni, considering negative impact on neighbor countries like China or Korea. “I apologize not visiting the shrine,” told Abe to his deputy in LDP.

True reason of the patience is not the care for neighbor’s sentiment but political weakness after a bitter defeat in the election of Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly last month. Arrogance of unilateral handling of politics, as seen in scheduling of constitutional amendment or not telling much about his old friend involved in a scandal, made Abe indefinite in political decisions. He must have prayed for peace of his administration.

Frozen Wall Poorly Working

When Japan was selling itself as safe for hosting Olympic games, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe boasted that contaminated water around broken First Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant was completely under control. How is it now? Tokyo Electric Power Company and the government of Japan made a plan to build frozen wall underground the plant. The most unique management of nuclear accident in the world has yet shown expected outcome so far.

The frozen wall is conceptually built with 1,568 of piles driven into 30 meters depth, surrounding four broken reactors in Fukushima plant. By freezing those piles with circulation of cold liquid in -30°C, they expects the soil around the wall to be frozen, blocking water approaching that radioactively contaminated plant. TEPCO started freezing the soil in March last year and 99% of the wall is reconfirmed as being frozen. The government of Japan poured ¥34.5 billion from the national budget into the project and 260 thousand of total workforce.

The contaminated water has reduced from 400 metric tons at the time right after the accident to current 130 tons. Although the government realizes some achievements of frozen wall, the reduction includes contribution of 40 wells, which scoop contaminated water around the plant. TEPCO has not presented obvious effect of frozen wall. It is unlikely for the wall to be the final solution of contaminated underground water.

The plan was approved by a committee of experts nominated by the government in May 2013. According to a report of Mainichi Shimbun, the idea of freezing the soil was chosen from some proposals of major general constructors in Japan. The government was in need of appealing its effort for dealing with contaminated water before the selection of the host of 2020 Olympic planned in coming fall. Although there was a concern in spending money for recovery of a severe accident of private business, the experts thought it was possible, if it had been a challenging project.

The project faces an unexpected dilemma. When the level of underground water gets low, contaminated water in the plant may be dropped down and flowing out of the site. Because the freezing of soil is not fully achieved, the level of contaminated water is ironically maintained. This can be a fundamental error of the project of post-accident management of the nuclear plant.

There is 800 thousand metric tons of radioactively polluted water accumulated in the backyard of Fukushima Plant. While TEPCO wants to pour that water into the sea, fishermen are strictly opposing it. The problem of that water going nowhere has not solved at all.

Hastened by Saber-rattling

United States and North Korea have been escalating mutual exchange of intimidation each other. U.S. indicated that further intimidation by the North might be causing collapse of Kim Jong-un regime. North Korea announced that it was considering launch of four ballistic missiles to Guam. Caught in the saber-rattling of military-oriented nations, Japan began to prepare for unexpected events with deployment of anti-ballistic missiles.

U.S. was successful in passing a resolution for further sanction against North Korea in United Nations Security Council on 5^th of August. China agreed on the resolution, which included embargo on major exporting goods such as coal of North Korea, with a condition of excluding embargo of oil. As China and Russia joined the concerted effort to demand stopping nuclear and missile intimidation, North Korea further isolated in the international society.

Three days later, U.S. President Donald Trump made a further intimidating remark in New Jersey. “North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,” said Trump in his summer recess, which he had not been expected to take that. “They will be met with fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before.”

It was a few hours later when North Korea announced its consideration of striking around Guam. The North updated the announcement that it was considering four simultaneous launches of mid-range ballistic missiles. U.S. Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, warned North Korea not to take action that would lead to the end of the regime and destruction of its people. While U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, told that Washington was not trying to topple Kim Jong-un regime earlier this month, Trump Administration raised its pressure in a week.

Japan could not ignore the information of North Korea that the missiles to Guam would pass over Shimane, Hiroshima and Kochi. Minister of Defense, Itsunori Onodera, said that Japan Self-defense Force could possibly be shooting the missiles with anti-ballistic missile system. Although it is constitutionally prohibited using military force for defending foreign country, Onodera indicated that the case might be regarded as “crisis of existence” of Japan, the concept which Shinzo Abe administration introduced in reinterpretation of the Constitution for exercising collective self-defense right.

Ministry of Defense started deploying PAC-3 anti-ballistic missile launcher in Shimane, Hiroshima, Ehime and Kochi, over where the missiles would be expected to pass, based on the order of destruction issued by Minister of Defense. However, it is argued that Japan can still not shoot down the missiles flying to Guam, if the missiles would touch down on international waters, or if U.S. would not exercise its individual defense right. This is one of the unique discussions as usual in Japan.