Japan's nationalism leads Asia astray
0 
Asia is witnessing an overflow of nationalism. Disputes over a few islands in the western Pacific will probably shift East Asia's attention from cooperation to antagonism.
Japan is setting a bad example in this process.
In modern history, Japan was the first to awake in Asia as a naval power. Excessive expansion brought Japan not only its earliest modernization, but also catastrophes like the two atomic bombs dropped on it in 1945. It was actions by world powers, led by the US in mid-20th century, that deterred Japan's expansion and led to its relatively cramped territory.
Since World War II, Japan has not seriously reflected on itself. Instead, its national sense of tragedy has been accumulating. Japan now has territorial conflicts with its various maritime neighbors, and all the controversies over those islands stemmed from the redrawing of boundaries after World War II.
It's a pity that the Japanese have not yet walked out of that war, and got rid of the narrow nationalism that once deeply influenced their fate. Even today, the nation still worships Class-A war criminals at the Yasukuni Shrine.
In the late 20th century, contentions over islands in East Asia gradually became intense, which was largely stirred up by Japan.
It takes understanding and sincerity in demarcating territorial boundaries. China has settled disputes over Heixiazi Island with Russia through negotiations, and delimited all the land frontiers with its neighbors except India. Similar negotiations are not likely to take place in Japan.
Japan's long tradition of nationalism has easily captured successive administrations in modern history. The Japanese government and many intellectuals have been loyal to this tradition.
Japan's nationalism has stimulated the growth of nationalistic feelings on the Asian continent. It has also stirred up hurt feelings over issues like visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, revising history textbooks and islands disputes.
Just like a counterforce accompanying any force, Japan's nationalism will overwhelm itself. The public always has a reason to demonstrate and the politicians are always tub-thumping.
But this doesn't change the growth pattern in other Eastern countries.
China is developing rapidly and other Asian countries are persistently emerging, while Japan's nationalism helped create more IOUs for its declining economy.
The growing nationalism is like a shovel, and we don't know whether we can finally dig a grave or a vegetable cellar with the shovel. Therefore, we'd better not deepen the hole.
The Japanese seem quite passionate and vigorous in brandishing the shovel, which has brought a sense of crisis in this region. It's indeed time to have a break.
Go to Forum >>0 Comments