Aso Flares Up

In web society in Japan, it is called “flaring up,” if an opinion invites broad accusations and the webpage becomes unable to be administrated normally. The comment on Nazis by Vice-Prime Minister, Taro Aso, accepted a number of criticisms from inside and outside of Japan, flaring the administration led by Shinzo Abe up. Although Aso tried to take back his words, it added new damage on the administration with revisionism.

There are a lot of things making no sense. “One day, they noticed that Weimar Constitution had been replaced by Nazi Constitution,” told Aso in his speech in Tokyo on Monday. Obviously, there was no such thing as Nazi Constitution in German history. Although Hitler stopped the effect of Weimar Constitution by the Enabling Act, which gave him dictatorial power, Weimar Constitution had not been abolished by that.

Aso explained that he had tried to say about a wrong example of amendment procedure without national understandings. Do not lie, Mr. Vice-Prime Minister. You had said that you needed to “learn” from the method of Nazis, had not quoted that despotism regime as wrong example. Statement based on second thought harms not only personality of a politician, but the credibility of people to politics as a whole.

As a close friend with similar views on post-war history, Abe advised Aso to minimize the impact on the administration, urging explanation to the public. But, it is Abe who needs to explain. He makes no difference from Aso in terms of upholding unique views on post-war history, which are called to be “revisionism” by the Western nations. His argument about the facts of “comfort woman” has been criticized by nations including the Koreans, Chinese, and Dutch.

The questions cast on two top leaders may harm national interest of Japan. Simon Wiesenthal Center delivered a comment asking further explanation of Aso about his recognition on the history of Nazis and Holocaust. China looks like appealing the wrong direction of Japan’s politics toward challenging post-war international regime and value.

The problem here is that there is no effective way to change the course this administration is going to, unless the prime minister will be forced to step down. As long as Abe tries to change the post-war world order, Japan will keep on accept broad skepticisms. If its impact is limited to the reputation of an eccentric politician, it is ok. But, if the skepticisms affect to various aspect of people’s lives in Japan, including trade or enhancement in security policies, it will be a great problem.