Nothing Done to Egyptian Violence

The government of Japan issued a recommendation of evacuation from Egypt to remaining Japanese, which amount to be one thousand. While it is responding to the deteriorating situation of opposition between interim government and Muslim Brotherhood, there is no effective action from Japanese government to stop the bloodshed in Egypt. It is the one of the characteristics of this bureaucratic country not to take responsibility, if it seems possible for the leaders to avoid direct criticisms.

The response of Japanese government has been hesitant from the beginning of collision between protestors and the government. On August 4^th, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, made a comment requiring all the parties utmost restraints and responsible action. “I expect that every group promotes national reconciliation under democratic process,” he said. “I expect that a government elected by democratic process under human rights and the rule of law will be established soon,” he also told next day.

But the situation has deteriorated day by day. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered a statement of Foreign Minister, Fumio Kishida, on August 14^th, saying “Egyptian security forces started clearing out demonstrators sympathetic to former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, resulting in a large number of casualties. Japan deeply deplores and expresses strong concern that this situation has arisen despite the effort of the international community, including Japan, to urge all relevant parties to behave with the greatest extent of self-restraint and responsibility up to now.”

However, things are not so easy. Some observers of protests witnessed firing from the side of protesters, the fact which indicated there are some terrorists inside the protestors. It is undeniable that the collision is turning to be a civil war between secularists and fundamentalists. What do the Japanese can do as a nation with high standard of world peace?

The request by the United Nations Security Council to stop violence in Egypt was led by France, United Kingdom and Australia. Since Japan is not the member of the council, it has no power on the effort. How about cooperating with its “most important and indispensable ally,” the United States? U.S. has still not fixed its standpoint toward Egypt. While Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham urged U.S. government to suspend aid to Egypt after their visit to Cairo, President Barack Obama has not shown positive action, only condemning violence.

It is unlikely for Japan to do something more U.S. can do to Egypt. When the situation goes worse, leaders of Japan may think they can attribute it to U.S. or other European nations. The only thing they worry about is being condemned by their people on the failure of evacuation of the Japanese from Egypt.