The Golden Mean Is Best

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe chose Meddle East for the destination in his first foreign trip in 2015. In his policy speech in Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday, Abe announced Japan’s financial support for the nations in Middle East, expecting to contribute to the struggle against terrorism. Trying to express his compassion to the region, Abe upheld a concept of “the golden mean is best” as a significant value of Middle East society. What did he mean with the saying?

Abe announced new financial support to Middle East with total amount of $2.5 billion. The aid included $200 million of free financial aid to neighbor countries of Iraq or Syria, which have been suffering from growth of Islamic State. To Egypt, he offered $360 million of Japanese Yen loan for expanding Borg el Arab International Airport or border security for preventing terrorist move. Abe wanted to show his willingness to be involved in the global war on terror.

However, it was obvious that the countries in Middle East did not expect political, diplomatic or military contribution of Japan so much. Japan has made it clear that it would not be involved in any military operation in Middle East, as all of them do understand. Although Japan will spend $500 thousand of its money for border security of Egypt, it apparently is not enough to deter every move of ISIS. Japan’s contribution to the war is highly limited.

Knowing or not that low expectation, Abe raised his voice to sell his idea to the audience in Cairo. “Stability of Middle East is the basis of peace and stability for the world and Japan. If terrorism and weapons of mass destruction spread as they do, loss of international society will be uncountable. Japan is determined to devote its experience, knowledge and capability for peace and stability of the world,” told Abe.

He quoted “The golden means is best” in that context, expressing his expectation for Middle East not to go to extremism. “I focus on the wisdom of this region. Why this wisdom should be highlighted now? It is from our concern on current extension of extremism and fragility of order in Middle East,” emphasized Abe.

One lucky thing for him was that most people in Middle East had no idea about how this Prime Minister had been destroying “the golden means” in Japan with his one-sided economic policy. Abenomics has been pouring money into big corporations, leaving middle or small businesses behind and social rift between the rich and poor is getting wider. Abe knows well that the audience was innocent.