Never Apologize

As the greatest event of his state visit to United States, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a speech at the joint session of U.S. Congress on Wednesday. He inserted reflection over the past war in the phrase reading “we started out on our path bearing in mind feelings of deep remorse over the war.” However, he rejected mentioning “apology” as former Prime Ministers, Tomiichi Murayama and Jun-ichiro Koizumi, did in their memorial statements. It is unlikely for him to express sincere remorse to Asian nations.

Enthusiasm over Abe’s speech in Japan was excessive. Newspapers introduced on the pages his entire speech with English translation. TV made live coverage in the midnight. Tokyo Shimbun criticized Abe’s unfairness in translation of his speech. While he used the same words of “deep remorse” as he included in Jakarta speech last week, Japanese translation of them was something close to “poignant remorse,” pretending to be more serious about history.

For Abe, the speech in the joint session of Congress was his great justification of his political stance. He wrote in his book about the days with his grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi. Riding on the back of his grandfather in a room of Prime Minister’s Official Residence, he reiterated saying “we oppose security treaty” as same as the chanting of protesters he heard from outside the building. He was instructed by his father, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Shintaro Abe, to say “we approve.”

That is why approving the security alliance between Japan and United States is important for Abe. Living with criticisms on security treaty with U.S. was days of infamy for Abe. To let the people approve Japan-U.S. alliance is not only a political agenda he embraces, but an important target of his family.

His elaboration on the history of the alliance included a serious misunderstanding. He described that criticisms on possible involvement in war stemming from revised bilateral security guidelines was wrong labeling and Japan had been peaceful without any war after having the security treaty with U.S. But, Japan has already been involved in a war of U.S. Prime Minister Koizumi decided to join Iraq War, even if it had been logistic supports, with wrong guidance of President George W. Bush on existence of weapons of mass destruction.

Whether his country will be dragged into unnecessary trouble does not matter with Abe. He just wanted to say that Japan was not so seriously wrong both in the wartime and post war era. Consequence will be apparent. His attitude only delays final solution of the problems between Asian nations.