Diplomatic Backlash

Against expectations, the Prime Minister’s statement at the seventieth anniversary this August has already become a complicated diplomatic issue of Japan. Despite Shinzo Abe’s announcement of following past statements, skepticism still covers the world. The indispensable ally in Abe’s definition, United States, does not hesitate in expressing fundamental concern on his coming statement. Abe himself is a major diplomatic issue.

U.S. Department of State immediately responded to Abe’s willingness to deliver Abe Statement, expressed in his new year press conference on Monday. “Our view is that the apologies extended by previous Prime Minister Murayama and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Kono marked important chapters in Japan’s efforts to improve relations with its neighbors,” told State’s Spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, at her press conference. She also reconfirmed basic standpoint of U.S., which it encouraged Japan “to work with its neighbors over history in an amicable way through dialogues.”

If it had been a statement of the government of China or South Korea, Abe and his colleagues would have been furious and denounce it as an intervention in domestic politics in Japan. But, U.S. government did understand that Abe would not protest against U.S. opinion, because of Japan’s security dependence on U.S. One may realize in Psaki’s comment U.S. frustration with current diplomatic moves of Japan, which expected official visit of Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and positive effort to improve relationship with cyber-aggressive North Korea.

Psaki made a little correction on her comment next day. “Let me jut reiterate, or restate, I should say that we welcome Prime Minister Abe’s comments yesterday, including the positive message on history issues and Japan’s postwar contributions to peace,” she told. It was not really a restatement. She just used stick first, and showed carrot later, in a way taming a pet. As she revealed a conference call between U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, and Japan’s Foreign Minister, Fumio Kishida, the day before, it was possible that Japan had complained about the sober response to Abe’s comment.

Chinese government showed its attitude that it would closely watch what kind of statement Abe delivers. “We hope Japan to keep its solemn promises over history issues and walk on the road to peaceful development with actual moves,” told a spokesman of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hong Lei. The government of South Korea also released a comment, which expected Japan to succeed statements of previous Cabinets. If Abe steps into revisionism in the statement, he will give them another opportunity to criticize Japan.

Abe will establish a consultative committee for the statement as soon as this month. That will be a method of justification in two ways. One is to explain his revision in historical issue to the world and another is to persuade his right wing supporters about his submission to the world opinion.