Request of Admitting Aggression

Experts for giving opinion to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on his statement of seventieth anniversary from the war-end defined World War II as colonial rule and aggression by Japan. Receiving the opinion, Abe is going to consider what kind of expressions should be chosen for the statement on August 14^th. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister is still reluctant to admit the war to be aggression of Japan. So, what was the discussion by the experts for?

The final report of the Advisory Panel on the History of the 20^th Century and on Japan’s Role and the World Order in the 21^st Century stressed the significance of aggression after Manchurian Incident in 1931, after which Kanto Troops of Japan started occupation of Northeast China. “Japan expanded its aggression against the continent, deviated from the post-World War I shift towards self-determination, outlawry of war, democratization, and an emphasis on economic development, lost sight of the global trends,” described the panel on the report.

The report is negative on the notion that Imperial Japan tried to help liberation of Asian nations. “To be sure, many nations in Asia gained independence as a result of the Japanese war from the 1930s up to 1945. Nevertheless, many decisions were made in the name of self-preservation and self-defense, (And of course the substance and the direction of the self-preservation and self-defense were wrong.) and rarely were they made to liberate Asia,” tells the report. On reconciliation with China and South Korea, the report indicated the insufficiency.

But, the report defied its responsibility of requiring Prime Minister to apologize on what Japan had done in the war. Chairman of the panel, Taizo Nishimuro, leave the decision to adopt the expression to the statement, saying “It is up to Prime Minister what he picks from our report.”

Although Abe has been abiding by final conclusion of consultative committee on exercising collective self-defense or designated secrecy bill, it is still unclear whether Abe will accept the requirements of the panel, if it is not preferable to him. He has been negative in expressing apology on the war aggression. But, as long as former prime ministers expressed sincere apology, Abe’s negative attitude will surely face unnecessary doubt of neighbor nations.

One key word of Abe’s diplomacy to neighbor nations has been “future-looking.” If he wants to be honest on his own words, he needs to establish Japan’s future on the basis of “deep remorse and heartfelt apology. Personal conviction in narrow-minded historical revisionism will leave his country in jeopardy of isolation.

Seventy Years from Hiroshima Ground Zero

This is the seventieth anniversary of dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Killing one hundred and forty thousand people cannot be justified with an argument that it avoided further sacrifice of the war, while most victims were innocent citizens. There is no space on the earth for that inhumane weapon of mass destruction. It will be too late, if the great powers recognize the true consequence of nuclear war. This is the time for eliminating all nuclear weapons.

In the ceremony of praying peace for the victims, Mayor of Hiroshima, Kazumi Matsui, issued the declaration for peace. “There still exist over fifteen thousands of nuclear weapons in the world, and the leaders of nuclear powers reiterate speeches or actions insisting on nuclear blackmailing with selfish notions. A number of incidents that might possibly have ignited nuclear war or explosion were revealed, while growing concern on nuclear terrorism spreads,” told Matsui. Raising possibility that any person on the earth can suffer from being a nuclear victim, Matsui urged all people in the world to think about nuclear elimination as a matter of themselves.

Mainichi Shimbun ran a headline on front page of today’s issue, reading “70 Years from Exposal, Asking Peace.” In its column article, the newspaper introduced an episode of dead child grabbing a swallow in his hand in pine forest close to the dropping point of the atomic bomb. There were a number of swallows or sparrows with burnt wings, waddling around dead bodies of children. The article asks what the child with a swallow in his hand thought right before dying.

In the reviewing conference of United Nations Non-proliferation Treaty, the world failed to deliver final agreed document. An initiative of Arab nations to create non-nuclear zone in Middle East was dismissed by United States that supported Israel, which is out of framework of Non-proliferation Treaty. Mainichi introduced a comment of U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, that urged abolishment of nuclear weapons. “We owe responsibility to achieve the world without nuclear weapons for hibakusha, every creature and future generation,” told Ban.

Justification of dropping atomic bombs cannot stand as long as the damage is ongoing. Damage on people’s health depended on personal conditions. Some sufferers could live for decades, while the others immediately died. There still are a number of people who have not registered as the nuclear sufferers by government of Japan. They had to live their life with potential concern of cancer, discrimination in the society, and isolation from society without governmental help. The government argues strange concept that damage of war should be persevered by every person. A nuclear weapon distorts human society forever.

Compromise to Local Protest

Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, announced that the government of Japan would halt construction related to relocation of Futenma U.S. Marine Air Base to Henoko in Nago City, Okinawa for a month. It reflected growing concern over sharp opposition between Tokyo and Okinawa on the issue. Although Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reportedly tried to ease the tension in the time of intensive discussion on new security bills in the Diet, it is still unclear whether the intermission will lead to a breakthrough.

Consultative committee of Governor of Okinawa, Takeshi Onaga, concluded last month that there had been “legal defect” in the decision of former governor to approve landfill in Henoko for construction of new base. Receiving that opinion, Onaga expressed his intention to dismiss the approval before the end of August. It was supposed that the opposition between Tokyo and Okinawa would be proceeding to legal struggle in the court.

Suga admitted in his press conference that the suspension of construction was a decision concerning the conclusion of the consultative committee. “It is to explain the idea of national government to Okinawa and have intensive discussion to find a solution,” told Suga. Following the announcement, Ministry of Defense will abandon proceeding from boring survey in the seabed to actual construction this summer. Onaga expressed his intention not to make a decision of dismissing constructional approval as long as discussion with national government is continuing.

Suga’s announcement was apparent defense of Abe administration, which was in trouble with declining supporting rate caused by unilateral procedure of new security bills in the Diet. If Abe would take a new step of starting actual construction of Marine base in Henoko, ignoring firm opposition from Okinawa, it was inevitable for him to further lose popularity in this summer. His political weakness might affect his strategy for presidential election of Liberal Democratic Party this fall.

However, national government has no viable idea to achieve fundamental agreement with Okinawa for the relocation plan. Although Suga made another compromise to allow government of Okinawa diving survey of coral reef in Henoko coast, Onaga still keeps his basic standpoint that construction of new base in Henoko is impossible. There remains a certain distance between Tokyo and Okinawa.

The government of Japan has unilaterally been promoting the construction effort in the context of complicated security environment in East China Sea. But, the decision of suspension revealed a fact that the construction was in no hurry in terms of security strategy. It is necessary for national government to discuss this issue from fundamental basis.

Test for Ethnic Relevance

Fight against discrimination is one of the methods to determine progress of a society. Japan is now tested. House of Councillors is starting discussion over a bill prohibiting hate speech against foreigners in Japan. Having worried about growing discrimination against Korean-Japanese, multi-partisan lawmakers submitted the bill without bureaucratic support. Success of the legislature may lead to improvement in sentiment against ethnic minority.

The bill was submitted to the House by Democratic Party of Japan and Social Democratic Party. The bill requires no discriminative measures or speeches on specific people based on ethnic reason. It also demands national and every local government to take measures for preventing discrimination. National government is responsible for reporting about related measures to the Diet every year and has to run survey about actual discriminations among people. It also requests Cabinet Office to establish Policy Council for Preventing Ethnic Discrimination, consisted by experts on the issue.

Ethnic discrimination namely against Korean-Japanese is prevalent in Japan. The haters require abolishment of legislatures privileging Japanese-Koreans. However, their demonstration in the streets is filled with antagonism against Japanese-Koreans, chanting messages to exclude or even kill them. In Kyoto, hate speakers were indicted with penalty of ¥12 million on their demonstration in front of an elementary school for Korean-Japanese.

New legislature is expected not only to prohibit such kind of demonstration apparently emerged in society, but also to eliminate fundamental sentiment of discrimination before it emerges. One difficulty is that governmental power may oppress speeches against government in the name of preventing discrimination. Clear definition of discrimination, which is a complicated job, is needed.

Although Komeito is positive on the legislature, Liberal Democratic Party is still negative as a whole. Among LDP legislators are some more frustrated with anti-government demonstration around Prime Minister’s Residence or the Diet than hate speech.

United Nations Human Rights Council required Japan last year to legislate new law for prohibiting speeches agitating ethnic superiority or and hates such as discrimination, adversary or violence. But, Shinzo Abe administration has taken no measures to implement it. It is inevitable for the Japanese to be recognized by world society as ethnic barbarians, as long as its prime minister is such an incompetent figure on the issue.

Challenging Rule of Law

An adviser revealed hidden truth of Prime Minister. Yosuke Isozaki, an Adviser of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, openly admitted that the security bills Abe was promoting had nothing to do with legal stability in a public speech last week. The administration has been explaining that the bills would keep legal stability and be constitutional. Isozaki’s argument, however, fundamentally undermined legality of new security legislation. This is the matter of arrogance of Abe administration challenging rule of law.

Isozaki was amazingly clear in neglecting rule of law. After explaining difficult security situation around Japan, which was brought by development of missile by North Korea or expansion of military power of China, Isozaki emphasized necessity of new security legislation. “Although the government interpreted the Constitution of Japan to be negative on exercising collective self-defense, we are proposing that collective self-defense should be good, if it would be for protecting our country,” told Isozaki. “Legal stability is not related to it,” he added, “We need to set a standard on whether it is a necessary measure for protecting our country.”

Abe administration has been asserting that reinterpretation of the Constitution and new security bills were constitutional and would not undermine legal stability of Japan. Isozaki did not care about that discussion. He simply admitted that new security legislation could be out of traditional legal framework of Japan. That was an ignorance of pacifism and democracy of Japan. Abe showed his frustration on Isozaki’s gaffe.

In the testimony of House of Councillors on Monday, Isozaki apologized about his comment and explained that he had not meant ignoring legal stability. But, it was nothing but a word-eating in Japanese expression, which meant lying about one’s words in the past. While the opposite parties required resignation of him as Prime Minister’s Adviser, Isozaki dismissed that possibility.

The fundamental problem of Isozaki’s gaffe was not about his quality as an adviser, but hidden intention of Abe to destroy Japanese Constitution. Former Japanese administrations have been denying collective self-defense as unconstitutional. What Abe argues is that it is constitutional when he interprets security environment as he prefers. For Abe, constitution is nothing before political goal. It is explicit dismissal of rule of law. Isozaki simply pave a way for Abe to do that.

It is likely that Abe will start saying “Constitution is nothing,” when Isozaki scandal will be ceased and people’s allergy against constitutional reinterpretation will be removed. United States, which firmly supports Abe administration, has to remind that this will be the reemergence of authoritarian regime of Japan.

Opposition of Emerging Countries

The ministers meeting of Trans-Pacific Partnership in Hawaii was adjourned without agreement on some crucial areas such as dairy products or intellectual property. The joker was not Canada, but New Zealand. N.Z. requested high-level free trade on dairy products, while opposing protectionism of United States in intellectual property of medicines. Japanese government joined concerted accusations against N.Z. But, N.Z. was simply requesting free trade without exception as TPP had originally been targeting.

On dairy products, Japan wanted to introduce low-tariff quota from N.Z. or Australia as much as 75 thousand metric tons a year, to which N.Z. strongly opposed. For N.Z., dairy product is one of the most important goods for export, occupying 30% of all exports. One of the politicians most loyal to economic bureaucrats, Akira Amari, or Minister in charge of TPP, accused N.Z. as “a specific nation with rigor,” as if Japan was not responsible for deadlock of the negotiation.

N.Z. also opposed to U.S. argument to set twelve-year protection for intellectual property on newly developed medicines, demanding five years or less for the protection with other emerging countries. Although the parties continued official level meeting to find compromise, the time for negotiation in Hawaii was expired.

N.Z. defended its insistence on national interest. “It always happens on us to have problem with countries incompetent in dairy products,” told N.Z. Minister of Trade, Tim Groser. He dismissed possibility for N.Z. to get out of the negotiation, saying that it was one of the nations that created TPP. He was definitely true. TPP started as entire non-tariff agreement by N.Z., Chile, Brunei and Singapore. For N.Z., it was U.S. or Japan who joined later and changed the rule of game by bringing certain amount of protectionism for national interests.

U.S. required next meeting as early as late August. Although President Barack Obama obtained trade promotion authority from Congress, the negotiation needs to be settled as soon as possible not to affect politics over presidential election next year. To get agreement and ratification on TPP from Congress by the end of this year, this July was regarded as the last chance. To finish the process before Democrats and GOP will embark on caucuses or primaries, August must be the deadline.

But, it will be disastrous for multi-lateral trade negotiation to introduce egoism of a great power. If the true purpose of TPP should be focused on making a high trade standard in Asia-Pacific region, it is necessary to establish a broad and comprehensive framework to make it sustainable and competitive.

Difficulty of Coexistence with Nature

The  owner was not conspiring a murder. Two men was killed, three women and two kids were injured in a river in Nishi-izu Town, Shizuoka. Around the place, there was an electronic fence to block natural animals and its one end was soaked into the river water. Two men are supposed to have died with electrocution. Police started investigation with a doubt that the owner of the fence had failed in supervising it.

The fence, with height of one meter, was settled to protect hydrangea garden on the riverside from wild deer that would eat the flowers. When the women and kids fell down into the river with screaming, other two men got into the river water to help them and get electrocuted. Vacation of two families turned into unpredictable kind of tragedy. After the accident, it was found that a part of the fence was broken and electronic line was touching river water.

According to the residents around the garden, the owner was providing electricity with the fence only in the night. But the accident happened in the daytime. The power source was drawn from family electricity. Supposedly, the crucial point was that the owner did not set a device to control flow of electricity in the electric system. Pulse system to halt continuous flow of electricity is demanded by law. The fence did not have that devise. Also, the fence did not have a device for shattering electrical leak. It is possible that the owner of the fence was not following legal requirements.

But, the government of Japan has recommended setting electric fence to avoid damage from natural animals. With subsidy for purchasing electric fence, farmers can easily buy the fence. They can buy two hundred meters of the fence with only seventy or eighty thousand yen. The farmers can exclude animals without any license such as possessing guns.

The tragedy happened with ignorance of country life. It was well known for the kids around the garden that touching electric fence might cause injury. But, the victims were families from city area enjoying vacation. Although the owner was responsible for supervising it, the families did not have enough knowledge about electric fence.

It is popular for urban families to let their kids experience natural life in the field. But, there are a few places to do that activity. The accident was caused by narrow land where human being and animals are living