Anything More Than Existence

As the supreme commander of Japan Self-defense Force, Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, required his personnel to be more than existence. While it is still unclear what he really meant by “existence,” the words showed his frustration with something in the force. For him, supposedly, there is a gap between the security situation in Eastern Asia with growing difficulty and the readiness of the force. However, a man who does not have a cool vision on what he is seeing and keeps on complaining about his staffs is unfit for command.

The speech was the instruction to the force in triennial Military Review held in Asaka Exercise Field of Japan Ground Self-defense Force in Saitama Prefecture on Sunday. “The security situation around us is getting difficult,” Abe told, “so you need to dismiss such traditional idea as that you just have to do daily exercises in ordinary situation, or that defense power makes deterrence simply with its existence.” Although it is unclear who said that “traditional” idea, Abe obviously required the force of higher alert on security situation in East Asia.

He also stressed Chinese assertion. “We will show our firm national will of not allowing the change of status quo resorted to power,” he said. “In the world deepening interdependence, we cannot maintain our peace by ourselves. Japan needs to contribute to peace and stability of the world more than ever. It is ‘positive pacifism’ that becomes our banner in the twenty-first century.” As appeared in the words, he has no idea to respond to the intimidation from China and North Korea other than escalating the sparring.

What is required for an existence to be a deterrence? Abe gave no answer for that question. Did he really have an answer, anyway? It is obvious that the existence of the Self-defense Force is a part of deterrence, but not all. Deterrence of Japan consists of some other elements, such as readiness for homeland defense or alliance with other nations, which everyone in and out of Japan knows. What he actually meant was “ Okay, you guys are in short of being deterrence, but need to think yourself how to be that, you know.” That is not something a responsible commander would say.

Escalating situation without any clear vision is a sort of act of naughty kids. Responding to it or not, Chinese official vessels invaded into Japan’s territorial sea around Senkaku Islands on Monday, breaking twenty-six days silence. Chinese officials are sensitively responding to asserted option of shooting down the unmanned areal vehicles around the isles. Mr. Prime Minister, stop muttering and talk with them.