Japan on backfoot in global PR war with China

Crickets are chirping away....

All of this is according to who? Whoever wrote this article must be having a quiet day at the office. Because there is no way that the rest of the world will see Japan as the 'evil of asia'. Japan remains a democratic country that is peaceful while deploying relief to disasters around the world. Meanwhile China prevents any human rights for its citizens while also bullying its neighbours to grab territory. And you only have to look at the Chinese aid response towards the Philippines disaster before comparing it to Japan's response who really went out of their way to help the Filipinos.

China may win the battle but not the war.

"Some Japanese diplomats and officials dismissed any suggestion they were worried, saying Tokyo’s rebuttals and the country’s post-war record of peace would win the day.'

Well, maybe. Abe's actions and remarks(also some people he can't control) continue to add fuel to China's fire. It's time for Japan to reassess it's strategy, being better at both offense and defense.

I don't understand how Japan can be seen as a danger in the West when it is occupied by the US army. It's like my country, Italy. We have not a real independent foreign policy, everyone knows how these things work. If Western countries start to pander to Chinese propaganda, it's just because they need it strategically (China is becoming the first economy in the world).

The U.S. ambassador is refusing to have an interview with NHK due to the right-wing extremist comments from its officials. Sorry, folks, it's no longer only the touchy Chinese and Koreans.

The view is spreading. The rest of the world is finding out how reactionary Japanese society really is.

“China is being successful at getting its message across while Japan keeps saying stupid things like questioning the existence of ‘comfort women.’ I think (China) has changed opinions.”

Nail on head - stupid things like questioning the existence of comfort women. Prominent people in Japan need to stand up and give an opposing voice whenever revisionist idiots like those NHK board members or Hashimoto say stupid things. That's all! If they don't say anything then China can just keep repeating their propaganda and people who don't actually live here will think the Japanese population consists of the aforementioned people.

China's propaganda is designed to fool people into thinking their military expansion is justified. And these high profile tit-for-tat gestures only serve to distract attention from what China is doing in the South China Sea, which illustrated the real threat to the region. It's more than a simple JApan v China conflict but it suits China for the world to think so.

Well, China managed to make majority of countries dependable on their country, and they want to exploit that, so, majority of politicians and news media are silent on everything China wants to accomplish in Asia, because, news media at west, no matter how you think of it, is state driven, when foreign affairs are in question , and also, there are certain number of foreign politicians who also dont like Japan , for lots of similar of different reasons .

Couldn't disagree more. China is pretty much universally hated by all its neighbours and its atrocious human record is well known worldwide.

“A lie is repeated so that people are brainwashed and start to believe it,”

Ummm... yes, Mr. Sato. Just hope you're addressing this to all the Japanese revisionists. As JeffLee said, the US ambassador, whom all Japanese praised as akin to a princess when appointed, is refusing interviews with the uber-right NHK.

The funniest part about this is watching the knee-jerk reactions by politicians, which further bury themselves. "Oh, I'M Voldemort?? No, YOU are!". "Oh, you're angry we visited Yasukuni? eeetttooou... well, Nanjing never happened! Ha!"

Japan's worst enemy are its own politicians. True in the past as it is now.

But Japanese media is doing a fine job of spreading its propaganda to its people. I go through the Japanese media daily, and some of the anti-Chinese and anti-Korean crap that gets spewed on a daily basis should embarrass some of the even the hardest Japan apologists. You know that the crap they write are propaganda when they don't translate them into English, with most of the materials being strictly designed for the consumption of the Japanese.

Unfortunately the Japanese right wingers don't realize how much they're damaging the Japan's reputation. And they will damage it even further by lashing out at any reasonable foreign criticisms. It just never stops. China must be so incredibly satisfied by this because the right wingers keep shooting themselves in their feet.

The PR war is own not because China is doing a good job but the Japanese propagandists are incredibly stupid.

If they really cared about Japan then they wouldn't do this. But of course the right wingers don't really care about Japan! they only care about saving their own face. And hence, they will continue to damage Japan's reputation.

The right wingers don't realize that the worlds view of Japan has changed quite recently due to all the right wing insanity lately. The damage may be irreversible. Perhaps it's a good thing. It's a wake up call for the Japanese left. They can't just let the right wing run this country any more.

The U.S. ambassador is refusing to have an interview with NHK due to the right-wing extremist comments from its officials.

This is a GOOD thing. Let's hope it wakes the right people up.

The U.S. ambassador is refusing to have an interview with NHK due to the right-wing extremist comments from its officials.

Well, the US should only stop acting already. This farce is embarrassing. If it's in their strategy to support the image of a "Japan threat", their army should leave Japan, otherwise they can't be believable. How can Japan be dangerous when the American army is already in Japanese territory? As I said, Japan is in the same situation as my country, Italy: occupied by the US army, our foreign policy is the American foreign policy. In Italy we have some politicians who sometimes praise Mussolini (facepalm), but the US don't bash us for stuff like this. Alessandra Mussolini is the granddaughter of Benito Mussolini, and she is an Italian politician. She said some very controversial things. Again, the US don't care about it. Probably the US don't need Japan as ally anymore, it's simple. They need an excuse to get closer to China. I already know many Americans will blame me for this comment, but the things seem so clear to me...

Two things here:

Japan has been steadily digging itself deeper due to poor grasp & out in out white washing of its history, intermingled with insincere "apologies" that are quickly dismissed when many yahoos spew stupid things Making Japan look stupid in the eyes of the world, this has been going on for decades now.

China has grown into a monster, ticking off ALL its neighbours & countries further a field as well plain for all to see.

Both the above are common knowledge although each have blinkers on blinding them to their own stupidity.

So both are only making it worse for each other & surrounding countries.

Which is worse...........h'mmm while abe dreams stupid dreams of the past they are unlikely to bear fruit, thankfully the US is present to keep the genie in the bottle for the most part. China on the other hand is already a major PITA throughout the Far East & SE Asia, if it keeps up its BS the rest of the world will have to put China down, as I have said many many times China is a firecracker that's been like, just waiting for explosion, implosion or both!

I really don't know where to start. Of course there are some blustering idiots in Japan that should never have access to a microphone, much less an interviewer, if not for anything but that they lack the good sense to know when their comments can be inflammatory and cause unnecessary problems.

That being said, I can sum the whole thing with an analogy of a young student that was caught smoking on school grounds. Teachers haul him back in front of his class to give him a dressing down. The most vocal teachers is actually smoking a cigarette while chastising him, and the other teachers are tut-tutting while they all have a noticeable pack of smokes in each of their front pockets. Other students that have also been caught smoking previously (but were forgiven for simply admitting their misdeed) are shaking their heads in disapproval, now feeling that they are justified in judging their classmate. All involved have done the same misdeed in the past, but somehow feel that they are in a position to call their student/classmate out publicly while conveniently forgetting what they themselves have done, or simply ignoring what it is they still actively do.

Perhaps all involved should have their mug shots and rap sheets posted up on the wall for all to see, then we can see who wants to cast the first stone.

China's new found wealth has brought unexpected side effects. Neil Bush, of the George W. Bush family for one. Will the puppy grow into its skin?

@GW: yeah, China and Japan are the bad guys, luckely the good guys - the American heroes - will keep the peace around the world. They are doing such a good job...

alex80 you hit bull-eye. since the end of cold war which country is constantly stirring trouble all over the world? people in china and japan seems to forget that country who is the reason....

Papi and Farmboy, you guys hit the nail on the head. There is a lot of stuff that goes on in this country but does not get revealed to the outside World. I even believe they have secret codes of behavior when they interact with foreigners. As for China's military spending, what do you expect, to stay weak and have Japan do the same as before. Remember, "the dog goes back to its own vomit". You cannot look at at country's military outlays just on monetary terms. China's population is 1.5 billion people. How much is the per capita expenses? Or, in terms of country's size, how much would it be compared to the size of other countries?

Oh America is pretty good at hiding some rather major atrocities of its own. This part the reason they act so judgmental about what other countries have done while ignoring t in their own history.

Meanwhile I think one reader hit at the reason China might be winning the propaganda war, its growing economic power in the world. This was the main reason that right after World War II Europe and Asia did not say much about Americas faults because they were so dependent on Americas economy.

So part of what is needed for Japan is to get their economy booming again and get back a bigger share of the market. By the way the same is also true for the United States get the economy back on track. With a failing economy other countries have no reason to care what happens to either the United States or Japan. Political power is tied to economic power, both for individuals and for countries. As long as China is the one that is booming, more and more countries will want to protect their relationship with China.

@kyk88: if the US left Asia, I think peace would be possible between China and Japan. The US always supported the right-wing in Japan, obstructing the left-wing, and now they pretend they are annoyed by it, because this attitude is useful for their interests. The US already accepted the fact they can't face China, as they couldn't face the Soviets; but while the Soviet Union collapsed, they know China won't crumple, so it's better to become their preferential partner. All that they care it's keeping their piece of cake in the Pacific region, and they can't let China and Japan get closer, because this way the US would be left out. I don't care if I'll get tons of thumbs down, it's normal in this site when you say something like this about the US.

So long as Abe and his gang keep on saying things to annoy and frighten the international community, China will continue to win the PR front. The comprehensive History channel programs (nothing to do with China ) showing the Japanese bombings in Asia, the mass murders, rapes, decaptivation, forced education, comfort women, etc. certainly will add to Japan's woes as the leaders continue to deny the atrocities or dilute the grave mistakes. Not that the Chinese New Year is over, Japan can see stepped up presentations by China to the international community. Documentary talks and exhibitions throughout the world will show Japan in extreme poor light as the Japanese leaders continue to deny the facts and flip flop on their apologies. One moment admit and apologise and the next minute deny it all.

Quite frankly, if this article is true, the world's sense of values is fundamentally warped, but I can't say they are necessarily wrong.

Just yesterday I think, JapanToday reproduced a Reuters commentary that effectively equated a shrine visit with the ADIZ establishment. A symbolic event versus a real change in policy with real effects.

@Asian2013: probably you don't know the whole world already knows brutality of Japan imperialism in Asia, at least in my country we study this stuff at school. But we study also the horrors of the European colonialism. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is one of the most brutal book I ever read. Sadly, the West didn't learn from its past, despite what some people could think. But other people can see what there's behind some atrocities like Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Smart people don't need Chinese, European, American or Japanese propaganda to learn history, past and present. :)

@Alex if you went to China you would soon realise the communist regime is indeed crumbling and so is their economy... Thousands of multi millionaires are leaving China en masse. There are all the signs China will experience a hard landing as its economy is crumbling, they almost defaulted on a huge payment in a wealth management fund that Chinas largest bank was steuggling to repay. This would have severe consequencies on the wotld economy, but its going to happen. When it does, And the dust settles China's dream will be over.

Eiji: "Unfortunately the Japanese right wingers don't realize how much they're damaging the Japan's reputation. And they will damage it even further by lashing out at any reasonable foreign criticisms."

More unfortunate still is that when the backlash hits from said politicians lashing out at foreign criticism, they'll just say we are attacking their culture, and fall back on the J-bashing comments and such, which will further empower the ultra-right.

Kazuaki: "Just yesterday I think, JapanToday reproduced a Reuters commentary that effectively equated a shrine visit with the ADIZ establishment. A symbolic event versus a real change in policy with real effects."

And while it's no surprise, you fail to see that the ADIZ establishment is a very 'real effect' of the visit to Yasukuni, so don't pretend it was simply a 'symbolic visit (with no effects)'. Obviously that single visit has had more effect on the region than pretty much else in the past few years save Tokyo buying the disputed islands.

"the world's sense of values is fundamentally warped"

The only truly warped thing is people who address 'the world' as though Japan is not a part of it.

PR = BS just like this article is BS

Only loser is Weapon Proliferation. It's evil driven home. It's diverting resources from producing health & happiness.

Are you sarcastic, americanhonor? If change "China" to "America" in your comment, it will more make sense.

Kazuaki Shimazaki

Quite frankly, if this article is true, the world's sense of values is fundamentally warped, but I can't say they are necessarily wrong.

StormR PR = BS just like this article is BS

Good to see that people are already in denial... but denying is what the right-wingers do best. Your denials will serve no purpose and just make things worse. Maybe you should accept the reality already. Denying the problem won't make it go away.

All this article is saying that Abe and his crew are shooting themselves in their feet.

Eiji: "Unfortunately the Japanese right wingers don't realize how much they're damaging the Japan's reputation. And they will damage it even further by lashing out at any reasonable foreign criticisms."

Exactly. I wouldn't say it was a case of China winning, but more like Japan losing.

China has been attacked internationally for it's human rights abuses and we all know how the word 'communism' sends some people into a fit, so you'd think it would be a piece of cake for another country to take the higher moral ground. But the Japanese government just have no concept of PR, and are just digging a deeper hole for themselves with continuous gaffes and hypocrisy. And that BBC Panorama interview with the Japanese ambassador to UK was a joke. The Chinese ambassador got his message through clearly, whether you agreed with him or not.

And for those who keep saying that at least Japan is a democracy. Well democracy doesn't mean a thing if people don't speak out, don't vote, don't do anything that involves tearing themselves away from their mangas and smartphones. Abe has already gotten away with a lot, and yet nothing has been done (the general public reacted like zombies when Abe pushed that secrets act). Soon, democracy becomes dictatorship when voicing an opinion won't be an option. And then you won't even be able to distinguish China from Japan.

Can we pretty please have at least one day where we don't have to read about China/South Korea/etc. etc. etc. complaining about Japan, or anything at all to do with Japan and what it said or did or didn't do in regards to past? Thank you.

I have lived and taught in Japan for 10yrs.. I have quite a few good Japanese friends and think of this beautiful country as a second home.. That being said , my views on Japanese have changed drastically over the past years.. The worlds perception is changing for more reasons than just the mess with China.. Examples: The continuing and ongoing environmental disaster in Fukushima, whale and dolphin hunting, Olympus , Bridgestone and other Japanese businesses, Honest Abe and the list goes on and on.. I can also imagine quite a few Americans aren't to happy with the Okinawa base controversy myself not included.. I have come to rhe realization that there are two types of Japanese for the most part , the robots who live here and and the ones that live and stay abroad .. I prefer the internationalized Japanese myself being that they actually have a personality if their own..In conclusion to my extended rant I can't wait to get out this country and go back to my evil empire (The US) as some of u might call it lmfao!!

And while it's no surprise, you fail to see that the ADIZ establishment is a very 'real effect' of the visit to Yasukuni

Seriously, the visit to Yasukuni is simply an excuse. A move like that is part of a complex geopolitical strategy, that Japanese right-wing rhetoric is only helping.

This article is an insult to the intelligence of the people of the world. Not even countries in Asia apart from China and the Koreas buy this WWII nonsense. I can assure you nobody in any other part of the world buys it other than the ethnic Chinese and Koreans living in the west supporting and advancing anti-Japan sentiment.

A thoroughly useless "article". No matter how dense the Japanese are when it comes to PR, (and they are dense) the West will never take the side of communist PRC on anything. For all the posters here who "wish" Japan was as hated by the international community as you think it is, why don't you go ask a bunch of people from whatever country you choose. I travel a lot. All you have to do is mention the word PRC and people get a sour look on their faces. The simple fact is that there is not a more hated or dangerous country on the planet than communist PRC. This article is just more left-wing dribble compiled and posted by a socialist with a big agenda.

Can we pretty please have at least one day where we don't have to read about China/South Korea/etc. etc. etc. complaining about Japan.

Not at JT we can't. This site makes me sick.

oldman_13

Can we pretty please have at least one day where we don't have to read about China/South Korea/etc. etc. etc. complaining about Japan, or anything at all to do with Japan and what it said or did or didn't do in regards to past? Thank you.

It's ok... you can just ignore the stuff you don't like to read, and keep living in the world of denial...

I think that the denials of some of the Japanese are perfectly amazing. First, they deny that the Japan had committed any atrocities or had done anything wrong. They then deny that everyone else is criticizing them for their denials. So they go even further into denials... ignoring and shutting away from the rest of the world... and come up with a myriad of excuses and justification that would bolster their denials.

Just a couple of points. The purchase of the three islands was made by the Japanese Government to forestall a plan of Ishihara's right wing group to purchase them. Such a purchase by the Right would have caused much more trouble as they intended to place a group on the islands. The Japanese government made it clear that the reason for the purchase was to prevent such a thing happening. The setting up of the ADIZ was not directly connected to the purchase and was undoubtedly in planning well before the Yakasuni shrine visit. Although, to be fair, the visit gave China the excuse to impose the ADIZ. I do not any protests by the US and allies for China to change the lie enshrined at the tomb to the Korean war in Beijing where they claim over 1 million Allies killed and their victory. (A complete fabrication enshrined in their history) As for the propaganda war. The illiterate and the ignorant and the greedy will pay lip service to agreement with China's stance. But the realists recognize the truth, that the opinions of a few old men in Japan do not reflect the essentially irenic nature to Japan today.

Huh, so Abe visits a controversial shrine while other politicians do what politicians do best: putting their feet in their mouths, and somehow that makes them the villain of Asia? Really? I think you'll find that either China or North Korea take that accolade. China is antagonistic, aggressive, and about as subtle as a brick to the head. They unilaterally declare an ADIZ over disputed territory that also overlaps the airspace of both Taiwan and South Korea. They invade Tibet and several other nations for no justifiable reason. They repeatedly reject Japan's apologies and demand more. They have trawlers ramming coast guard vessels and demanding compensation. They make baseless accusations regarding territorial disputes and other diplomatic matters. And let's not forget Chairman Mao. How many died under his tyranny exactly? Anyone know?

And how about North Korea? The country so unstable that very few people would be surprised if they let fly with the nukes. They repeatedly threaten America and South Korea, the flex their miniscule military muscles, and don't forget that Kim Jong-Un had his own uncle executed. And Japan is worse than that? No. Not even close. They did wrong in the past, but in comparison to China and North Korea, they are the lesser evil. You'd have to be blind or brainwashed to think that Japan is the villain.

This story clearly sounds as if it was brought to you as a sneaky pro China backed story. If not, these writers are clearly drinking the Chinese made Koolaid and/or are on drugs in a very bad way.

OssanAmerica

This article is an insult to the intelligence of the people of the world. Not even countries in Asia apart from China and the Koreas buy this WWII nonsense. I can assure you nobody in any other part of the world buys it other than the ethnic Chinese and Koreans living in the west supporting and advancing anti-Japan sentiment.

hidingout

A thoroughly useless "article". No matter how dense the Japanese are when it comes to PR, (and they are dense) the West will never take the side of communist PRC on anything.

Another ones in denial... will the denials ever stop? Sheesh...

hidingout

For all the posters here who "wish" Japan was as hated by the international community as you think it is, why don't you go ask a bunch of people from whatever country you choose. I travel a lot. All you have to do is mention the word PRC and people get a sour look on their faces.

You seem to be missing the point that people love Japan NOT because of the right-wingers, actually they're making people hate Japan even more. And you're only helping the cause by being in denial and defending the right-wingers. Sad, really.

What's worse is that you think that you can lift up Japan by putting others down. You seem to get satisfaction from people hating on China. But lowering others down does not make your country any better.

The simple fact is that there is not a more hated or dangerous country on the planet than communist PRC.

And you're not even pretending to be objective.

This article is just more left-wing dribble compiled and posted by a socialist with a big agenda.

lol @ "left-wing" and "socialist". That's the right-wingers' typical response to anything. Thanks for proving that you're right-wing, and that you're actually defending the right-wingers, the one who you should really be mad at since they're the that are damaging the Japan's reputation.

@Smith Even if I grant that there is anything really wrong with visiting that shrine, and I buy the theory that the ADIZ is supposed to be some kind of response to a visit to Yasukuni rather than just another step in China's imperialism (really learning the WWII lessons here, China...), please defend the idea that a policy change with real international effect can possibly be equated, or even relatively proportionate to a shrine visit.

BTW, Eiji and any others we may conveniently lump together as "left-wingers" may also challenge this question. Without necessarily defending the view that a Yasukuni shrine visit is entirely proper, it is entirely possible to attack a view, all too common in this world, that a shrine visit (heck, let's upgrade it to a shrine to Hitler, Stalin, Tojo and Mao and them only) can possibly justify ANYTHING more than a symbolic show of disappointment or regret.

Kazuaki Shimazaki

BTW, Eiji and any others we may conveniently lump together as "left-wingers" may also challenge this question.

No, my views in the rest of the world are simply called "normal", not left or right. But we may lump together anyone who is in denial of Japanese war atrocities as "right-wing" or "far-right" or "deniers" or "revisionists". After all, we say the same for KKKs and neo-Nazis who are in denial of their past atrocities. It is only in Japan that the right-wingers would label anyone who criticizes the deniers as "left-wing" or "socialist". That's not normal.

Japan, get out of Tibet now! OH, wait a minute...

I think Japan's brutal colonization of Asia is resounding still despite 70 years passing. in the 65 years passing since Tibet was invaded, I cannot say it still resounds much, even though Tibet is still occupied. Tibet is just one tiny country, and the occupation is bad enough, but still not on the level of the many Japanese occupations of the war.

Japan cannot escape its history. But the politicians keep trying anyway. Its like fighting against quicksand, you only sink faster. Few will offer Japan a hand ouf of the quicksand until Japan admits it is actually in the quicksand. But what we all see is Japan waffling between admitting it and denying it. The only history China denies is internal.

China is pretty much universally hated by all its neighbours

Japan is not exactly engaged in a love fest with her neighbors either, and I mean every single one of them. But Nepal, Russia and Mongolia have worked out troubles with China, and relations have been much better since the 90s. Even relations with India have improved considerably.

It seems to me that many of you who make the claim that China is so hated by her neighbors either don't know how many neighbors China has (I think 11 shared borders and that does not count sea neighbors), or desperately hope that saying it will make it true, or at least believed by many here. This article should be a wake up call to those who make the claim and the many here who will saying anything just so long as they think it harms China.

"the good guys - the American heroes - will keep the peace around the world."

Mostly likely. The countries that entered the US sphere of influence and protection after the Pacific war: Japan, S. Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei, Thailand, etc.

Those that stayed out of that sphere: Burma, North Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Vietnam,

Yeah, I'm quite sure whose side I'd rather be on.

No, my views in the rest of the world are simply called "normal"...

in the PRC.

China's brutality since the revolution is well-known. Japan's WW2 brutality is well-known. Allowing China to harp on about a tendency for those in power and public broadcasting to deny past brutalities is gross incompetence on the part of the Japanese government. Focusing on the present is what is better for Japan's standing in the international community. OssanAmerica said that nobody in the world is buying the Chinese line. I can't speak for the entire planet like him or her, but I'd guess that very few are buying the attempts by some to deny Japanese atrocities against people not just in China and Korea. This is exasperating. China's present is an open goal for criticism.

The Japanese government will never be able to outdo the Chinese government press. The Chinese government is built on PR, they know what they are doing. Its boys against men unfortunately. And even worse is the fact that Japan is wrong on most issues, the list clearly outlined above. Biden warned Abe for two hours not to go to Yasukuni, but Abe went anyway. Game, Set, Match. Japan is heading for a fall, a huge one, both economically when Abenomics collapses and the rightwing surge of the Abe government backfires even with the USA. Japan has its own Bush Junior now. Its not going to be pretty.

Exactly, this is nothing more than incompetency on the Japanese government's part (which are infiltrated by the right-wing and far-right). But unbelievably, realizing it or not, the deniers and the right-wingers are actually in support of their incompetency. Perhaps they're too stupid and/or ignorant to realize it.

It goes something like this:

1) Japanese government does or say something stupid.

2) Said Japanese government is criticized by the world for their stupidity.

3) Japanese, for some reason that people outside of Japan can't quite comprehend, come to their rescue and defend their incompetency, even though they are the ones that who actually suffer from their incompetency (i.e. the nuclear disaster).

So the world is bewildered, and they can only conclude that the Japanese nationals are "special", that their irrational nationalism is rooted in their DNA, that they're hopelessly nationalistic and xenophobic, and that the Japanese nationals and their government are the essentially of one kind.

Actually, what's really happening is that the Japanese government has so skillfully managed to influence and brainwash their citizens into thinking that any attack on Japan or the Japanese government is an attack on themselves. So the Japanese typical vigorously attempt to defend the government when it is "attacked", as if it is they themselves who are being attacked.

Pot calling the kettle black.

"Japan is very worried that China is winning this propaganda war," said an Asian diplomat based in Beijing. "Their diplomats have been asking how they can better put their side of the story and win people over in the West."

There's no PR war to win. Most countries neighboring China already view China as the primary threat to their national security. That's why you see an arms race going on in Asia right now. Australia just came out with a report stating that China was their number one threat.

Australia's greatest future threat is China, a just released Australian Strategic Policy Institute report concluded.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2014/02/13/Australia-concerned-about-Asian-arms-race/UPI-55961392277440/

hidingout

I do not support people such as Toshio Tampgami who attempts to deny that any atrocities were committed. That man is a rare breed in Japan and a danger to peaceful co-existence. People like Abe are neither "deniers" nor "wingers". I challenge you to look at the policies enacted by Abe

Here's a list of what Abe did:

1) Denied Japanese war aggression by saying that the meaning of the word "aggression" is debatable.

2) Visited the Yasukuni shrine, which is a right-wing propaganda site that denies and glorifies Japanese war aggression.

3) Planted far-right loonies such as Hyakutai (who denied the Nanking and comfort women and blamed the US for it) into the head of NHK. They're both very good friends.

4) Has said the he is the one who interprets the constitution.

Anything else?

But again, if you doubt me on the popularity of PRC abroad, pick a country and go there and ask random people on the street what they think of PRC. You will hear nothing but comments of disgust. Japan on the other hand enjoys a reputation as a peaceful, progressive nation.

Which the deniers are hurting the Japan's said reputation. So tell me, if you loved Japan, then why are you in defense of the deniers that hurt Japan's reputation?

I see JT is running out of wood to fire the heated debate among pro/contra Japan commenters so they now have to publish mile long articles of reiteration and meaningless theories.

@daviddake read the economic reality of chinas increasing debt... Im not joking, Im up with financial matters and chinas outlook os increasingly bleak.

Well, simply put, the right-wingers of Japan are equal to the Neo-nazis of European nations. Fortunately these extremists aren't as pandered to as they are in Japan, but they stain the historical lessons learned about human cruelty and evil in WW2. Germany confronted the truth of their history and didn't cover it up. The US confronted the truth of it's history and didn't cover it up. China didn't confront the truth of their history and are trying to cover it up. Japan confronted some truth of their history, but are trying to cover most of it up or whitewash it. The more Japan truly confronts the truth's of it's history without whitewashing like they are now, the more ground that China loses completely.

oldman: "Can we pretty please have at least one day where we don't have to read about China/South Korea/etc. etc. etc. complaining about Japan"

You can indeed, when Japan and Japanese wingers stop denying what happened and seek to make TRUE amends. Why not be first to step up and admit Japan needs to do as much?

Kazuaki: "...please defend the idea that a policy change with real international effect can possibly be equated, or even relatively proportionate to a shrine visit."

Easy: Abe visited Yasukuni 5 months after swearing he would do so if China did not meet his demands to talk about the 'non-issue' of the island dispute, and then China changed its ADIZ. Shrine visit = policy change with 'real international effect'. Or do you deny the shrine visit had no international respect? be it China doing what its doing, South Korea refusing to meet Japanese leaders, the US admonishing the J-government over the visit despite Kerry trying to talk about out of it for 50 minutes because IT WOULD HAVE REAL INTERNATIONAL EFFECTS?

Seriously, take the blinders off. You really need to realize that people who believe as you do and support the current crop of politicians are only to the detriment of the nation as a whole, and this article gives proof of that, even though you deny it.

Japan better not piss off China any further. There's going to be over a billion people who will be angry at Japan what they did to them. It's going to be a Chinese world... and it's not looking pretty.

The best attack against communism is to allow capitalism to do its subtle work.

'Right now, this is a real war,' said Shin Tanaka, president of the FleishmanHillard Japan Group in Tokyo, a communications consultancy. 'Japan and China are using missiles called 'messages...'

Missiles called messages?! Obviously, Mr. Tanaka is so out of touch with reality, he wouldn't know a "real war" if it slapped him in the face! Real war, eh?? Whatever.

And if the "....best known exchanges" are the so-called 'Voldemort attacks,' then these two journalists (and yes, it actually took two writers to cut and paste this terrible article into existence!) are seriously scraping the bottom of the barrel!

In fact, the "Voldermort attacks" did absolutely nothing at all (except perhaps make people around the world laugh at how incompetent China and Japan are at their verbal sparring, as well as show that Asian politicians are habitually 10 years behind the current Zeitgeist!)

"China's present is an open goal for criticism."

I mentioned earlier about Japan needing both a better offense and defense. Here's an example of offense Japan should exploit. How about continually reminding the world of Japan's freedom of speech and democracy versus China?

I'm not sure how the world can take seriously about the freedom of speech and democracy in Japan after all the gaffe lately by Abe and co.

Besides Japan's press freedom is ranked 59th. Very low for a supposed democratic nation that allows freedom of speech. China and Japan aren't really that different.

With China's aggression towards Japan and in the South Chia sea, Japan should be using all these incidents against China's propaganda. China is assaulting all free democratic countries in the region. There should be no way Japan should be taking a back seat in the propaganda department against China.. Plus add to that, the type rule China still upholds. I do not understand China getting any upper hand on Japan!

I do know here in the US we hear nothing about China on our major news networks and when they do mention anything China it is usually in a positive light and nothing on the real issues when it comes to China's military build up and what it is doing with its military build up as for going up against others , such as our friends and allies in the region!

Unfortunately, Japan has neither the higher moral ground (over China) nor do the Japanese people have an idea of how to counter their own revisionist, loudmouth,historically inaccurate politicians.

Abe is an outright liar! On one hand he is changing the Japanese constitution to allow Japan a preemptive strike against its neighbours and in the same breath promoting pacifism?

Ask a Japanese about the war and there are a multitude of reactions but not many of those reactions are notvery logically based on what happened in the past. Nothing has changed -Japan's government consistently lies to its population in the present -no progresson on that score..........

At least the Chinese know when a lie is a lie.........

With China's aggression towards Japan and in the South Chia sea, Japan should be using all these incidents against China's propaganda. China is assaulting all free democratic countries in the region. There should be no way Japan should be taking a back seat in the propaganda department against China.. Plus add to that, the type rule China still upholds. I do not understand China getting any upper hand on Japan!

Too late. Abe and company has made sure to the world that it is Japan that is provoking china by visiting the yasukuni shrine, etc.

@Paulinusa Given what we've been reading about the government's attempt to turn NHK into a government mouthpiece and secrecy laws, freedom of speech and democracy are hardly the current LDP's strong suit, nor are they ideas they tend to emphasize. Let's be honest, if asked for an example of a free press, a vibrant, engaged electorate and culture where ideas are debated and debunked, Japan would not spring to mind for too many. Japan can of course boast a greater degree of freedom than China, but that certainly isn't due to this administration and even Abe in his used car salesman mode would struggle to sell that line.

Smithinjapan:

And while it's no surprise, you fail to see that the ADIZ establishment is a very 'real effect' of the visit to Yasukuni, so don't pretend it was simply a 'symbolic visit (with no effects)'. Obviously that single visit has had more effect on the region than pretty much else in the past few years save Tokyo buying the disputed islands.

You've got that back to front. China established the AIDZ in November, Abe visited the shrine in December.

If anything, the Yasukuni visit was an effect of China's move.

Alex 80

Some of your comments were really interesting to me. I agree with you to some extent that GHQ(or the US) is responsible for conflicts such as Takeshima/Dokdo and Senkaku/Daioyu. Especially the Takeshima/Dokdo issue, one of the main reason it is still becoming a conflict is that GHQ failed to draw clear line between Korea and Japan. If GHQ had clarified where it belongs, either korea or japan, problem would have been much smaller. Facing the threat from Soviets during the cold war, and wanting cooperation from both korea and japan, maybe the US did not want to irritate either side by clarifying its position. And the US today is pretending like they had nothing to do with it and telling korea and japan to calm down. I think that's one of the problem of GHQ rule.

But at the same time, the GHQ helped Japan come back from war devastation, and helped Japan get out of militarism, did many good reformations, so I think there were many good things GHQ did. Overall, I think GHQ did make some mistakes but did a good rule on Japan.

Also, the part where you said, Mussolini is praised by few of Italian politician today was interesting. I never knew about that.

You've got that back to front. China established the AIDZ in November, Abe visited the shrine in December.

On the other hand, Japanese PMs have been going to Yasukuni and paying respects to war criminals for a long time before China created their ADIZ. And Japan's ADIZ was created decades ago and expanded in 2010 to overlap with Taiwan's ADIZ.

But I suppose we could play the "who started it?" game all day long. Fact is, Japan keeps perpetuating turmoil based on nothing but air. At least we can clearly see that China has a legit gripe about Japan's WWII denials, and their island claim is at least a thing of substance. What is whitewashing history, nationalizing the Senkakus and visiting Yasukuni? Just plain making trouble for the fun of it.

Americanhonor.....You say " if you went to China you would soon realise the communist regime is indeed crumbling and so is their economy... Thousands of multi millionaires are leaving China en masse. There are all the signs China will experience a hard landing as its economy is crumbling, they almost defaulted on a huge payment in a wealth management fund that Chinas largest bank was steuggling to repay. This would have severe consequencies on the wotld economy, but its going to happen. When it does, And the dust settles China's dream will be over." Propaganda at it's best. I'm living and working in China and I don't see any of the things you mention. What I do see is things improving year upon year. I think you are doing more dreaming than China.

Nope China is sinking there are fewer companies investing in China and many reinvesting and returning to Japan. Eiji well youre a chinese propaganda machine as is australiaexpatinchina... Do the research the world view is that Japan is behaving overall despite a few gaffes, whereas china is continiuosly stirring and provoking not just Japan but all its neighbours. One billion chinese are not supporting their government, most would riot against the communist regime if given the chance, we still remember tiananen square and the genocide that is still ongoing in Tibet. The world still understands that China is the aggressor and Japan is quite restrained overall and behaving like a more civilized and neighbour friendly nation by comparison. I totally support Japan on the issue against China, although Abe does need to wisen up a little more on some issues that are still sore points.

I don't think that there's any respectable and reputable person who will say that china is crumbling. If you know, then I would like to hear it.

Is the Chinese government a moral one, no, but to say that china is crumbling is just disingenuous.

I'm definetly not Japanese but respect the country so much... Nothing China does will make a difference because they STILL act like communists. Japan has apologized many times and has changed many of its wrong doings, this comes from Japan which is a country that protects its culture... So I see the change in japan and even though I have never been there, China is the enemy here.

The very fact that there are so many commentators on the side of China on this article alone shows that the article isn't all wrong. There are many people in the world swayed by the Chinese side of the story. Because no matter which way you cut it, they do have a point. Japan did invade them, and commit many atrocities, and Japan denies a lot of these atrocities. Of course there are a million other factors at play, as the countries have thousands of years of history between them, but those two points are pretty factual. People can comment about how Japan has apologized, and about how China is also bad for their invasion of Tibet and any number of other things, but none of these things change the two points I listed above.

Well, simply put, the right-wingers of Japan are equal to the Neo-nazis of European nations.

That's an insult to the majority of European nations who do not subscribe to Neo-nazis, like Japan how majority of Japanese population is right wing. This is based on the polls done in Japan recently. The Japanese young are even more right wing than the older generation, with 25% of that age group even calling for ethnic cleansing of Japan. Which European nation has 25% of its youth calling for ethnic cleansing? The majority of Japanese also believe what they were taught by their society - that Japan was, and is the victim of "distortions" made by the Chinese and Koreans - so completely different from what the rest of the world believes about Japan's role in WWII.

No, my views in the rest of the world are simply called "normal", not left or right. But we may lump together anyone who is in denial of Japanese war atrocities as "right-wing" or "far-right" or "deniers" or "revisionists". After all, we say the same for KKKs and neo-Nazis who are in denial of their past atrocities. It is only in Japan that the right-wingers would label anyone who criticizes the deniers as "left-wing" or "socialist". That's not normal.

Unfortunately, you could be right. However, I think I've acknowledged this to some degree in my first post.

Personally, I don't have a particular interest in insisting that Nanking didn't happen or whatever. Nevertheless, I think there is nothing wrong with a prime minister choosing to worship the war dead. Few if any wars are entirely wholesome anyway.

In any case, I'm willing to lay that all aside to repeat my question. You may call yourself "normal" if you wish, but please defend your concept of equating things like ADIZ or constant expansion complete with real coast guard units with a shrine visit, or even thinking the latter is actually more important.

And quite frankly, if "normal" people cannot defend their concepts, I don't want to join them, even if they are normal.

In any case, I'm willing to lay that all aside to repeat my question. You may call yourself "normal" if you wish, but please defend your concept of equating things like ADIZ or constant expansion complete with real coast guard units with a shrine visit, or even thinking the latter is actually more important.

It's not an equivalent comparison. The Japanese have a history where they were one of the major players in one of only two world wars. A visit to a shrine of war dead by a country without that history wouldn't make as big waves. But there is no escaping Japanese history, no matter how much the Japanese want to.

chucky3176

This is based on the polls done in Japan recently. The Japanese young are even more right wing than the older generation, with 25% of that age group even calling for ethnic cleansing of Japan.

I want to know where did you get the idea that the 25% of the youth are calling for ethnic cleaning in Japan. Where exactly did you get this poll from?

Kazuaki Shimazaki

You may call yourself "normal" if you wish, but please defend your concept of equating things like ADIZ or constant expansion complete with real coast guard units with a shrine visit, or even thinking the latter is actually more important.

I have said no such thing. The shrine visit is obviously a problem that is a separate issue from ADIZ or whatever.

China is an illegitimate regime, so not so much on the back foot here. More like craning ones neck to see if the train is coming.

Keep on dreaming that China is crumbling! I have lived in China for the past 15 years and when I first came, I was paid a very generous hardship allowance and great housing allowance. Nowadays, you will have to be very lucky if you want such things. Why? Because China nowadays is not the same as the backward China 15 years ago! The medical facilities have improved! Transport, food, supermarkets, entertainment, recreational activities, etc., have all improved. China is definitely not crumbling. In 2002, China was not even a member in WTO. Today she is the world's 2nd largest economy. Yes of course Japan has all these and the air is much better. But China is not crumbling. She is progressing bit by bit! They have contained their growth in the past 20 years. And in case you think they have no more aces, let me tell you that they have not yet open their banking sector; medical facilities sector; education sector; legal sector; entertainment sector, etc.. They will open in due course and keep their growth at 7 to 8 per cent. In the mean time they will buy foreign properties and businesses at cheap prices and send their students to all parts of the world to study and influence world opinions. Meanwhile, certain people in Japan will visit Yasukuni, deny this and deny that, call China names, etc. etc. etc. Well keep the status quo and let's see the end results in a few tears!

Unfortunately the current Japanese politicians and bureaucrats just don't realize how much they're damaging their own country. People who are in support of them or are apathetic aren't helping. They are still stuck in being subservient to the US, they're in auto-pilot mode. They don't realize how much China is blazing past them. The world is changing and they're not able to adapt to the changing circumstances.

The main focus of China may now be the US, and those superpowers may collide in the future. If they do, then it's going to create some serious disturbances in the world order. It's not looking pretty. Whatever the case, China's influence in the world is going to be unimaginable and enormous in the future.

I want to know where did you get the idea that the 25% of the youth are calling for ethnic cleaning in Japan. Where exactly did you get this poll from?

It was reported by Asahi Shimbun couple of months ago, which examined the poll. The older the people, the less right wing they were. It's the younger Japanese who are far more right wing, with most of them solidly supporting Abe's comments.

...and it said that the 25% of the youth supported "ethnic cleansing"... Actually, the most right-wing generally tend to be people in their 40s and 30s. Are the young people in Japan getting more nationalistic? We're not really sure. It's more likely that young people who are crazy enough to have strong opinions are nationalists.

Actually, the most right-wing generally tend to be people in their 40s and 30s. Are the young people in Japan getting more nationalistic? We're not really sure.

In the same poll, it was the people in their 20's who were more right wing, then next were the 30, then next 40's, and so on, while the people in their 50's and 60's were the ones less right wing. People when they think of Japan think it's the old ones who are right wing, that may have been true a while back, but that's no longer the case, as Japan's history revised education of the 2000's make their mark as those students start hitting their 20's.

The irony of all this is that there are only two nations that have an anti-Japan policy. The PRC did not exist until 1948. They fought the ROC which was an allied power in WWII and fought Imperial Japan. The ROC now resides on Taiwan and they do not have an anti-Japan policy. Nor do the other Allied powers, the U.S., Russia (formerly USSR), UK and France. Nor do additional allied powers such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Yet, China; the PRC which let the ROC fight Imperial Japan only to attack the ROC forces has a fixation on Imperial Japan of WWII. The same can be said for South Korea, which was part of the Japanese Empire from 1910 to 1945 and Koreans served in the Imperial Japanese military and killed allied troops, not to mention made use of the Comfort Women. A large number of Koreans were tried and convicted as class B and C war criminals at the Tokyo Trials. Yet they are in denial of their own true history and maintain an anti-Japan policy, Another correlation is that both nations accepted Japan's apologies for WWII and signed Peace Treaties, South Korea in 1965 and Chiba(PRC) in 1972, yet both nations act as though these treaties were never signed, despite having received the benefits of those treaties. So you have two countries that are fixated on anti-Japan sentiment and WWII history, despite being relatively poorly qualified to be complaining about it in the first place. The nations which actually fought Imperial Japan and are most qualified to be anti-Japan, are not. And neither are the many Asian nations that were invaded during WWII.

"Are the young people in Japan getting more nationalistic? We're not really sure."

I'm pretty sure. The couple of demonstrations I've witnessed revealed plenty of young people in the ranks, including women who could be office ladies.

Japan's history revised education of the 2000's make their mark as those students start hitting their 20's.

Which isn't more nationalistic than before. Actually the revised education is probably slightly better and less nationalistic than the one before.

JeffLee

I'm pretty sure. The couple of demonstrations I've witnessed revealed plenty of young people in the ranks, including women who could be office ladies.

"You're pretty sure", even you're just basing this on a couple of demonstrations that you've seen? That's not very convincing.

We can't say that the youth in Japan are getting more nationalistic on a large scale. Most of the youth are completely uninterested in politics. Tomogami, the nationalist Tokyo candidate, was second most voted among people in their 20s, but were forgetting that more than 70% didn't vote. Which means that it's more likely that the only people who have a fervent interest in politics are nationalists.

I don't think that the youth are getting more nationalistic on a meaningful scale. It's the people in their 40s that you have to watch out for.

I couldn't care less what China has to say. Nor do most people. Abe's actions and playing barbs with China doesn't help matters though. They are doing that for their base voters AFAIK

The concern I have for Japan is that people are barely voting at all. Corporations nominate and approve of their own candidates and have them lead. When people don't vote there's not much of a democracy left to defend. Where is the people's voice?

While Japan is a pacifist nation, it has allowed the dogs of war into office and that should be a call to the voting booth, not further ignorance. Bad things happen when good people do nothing

If a new generation could be convinced that they have a stake in their own country and its laws maybe change can occur. As long as the oyaji network remains in place is really the only thing to be worrying about. Everything stems from that it seems.

I think Japan's brutal colonization of Asia is resounding still despite 70 years passing. in the 65 years passing since Tibet was invaded, I cannot say it still resounds much, even though Tibet is still occupied. Tibet is just one tiny country

Not outside of Asia I'm afraid. Most in Europe or America know more about China's occupation of Tibet than they do about Japan's occupation of China and Korea. Most people still talk about the occupation of Tibet, and have no shortage of angry remarks about China regarding this matter. To say that it doesn't resound much is entirely inaccurate. It seems to be a sore subject the world over. Tibet is just one tiny country? But it isn't the only country that China has invaded. China has had disputes with just about every neighbour, and conflicts with each one as well. Japan's colonization of China and Korea (not Asia. They never colonized India or Russia for a start), doesn't resound very well outside of Asia, if at all really. I learned a little of Japan's occupation of China at school, but nothing of the occupation of Korea. I've learned more about Japan's actions during WWII in the past few weeks than at any other time. I get the feeling that there are many in Europe in the same boat, and possibly in the US as well, save for those who specifically did detailed research on WWII and the events surrounding it. But it seems that just about everyone can tell you about the Tibetan occupation, and will speak passionately about wanting to see it freed.

@Eiji Tanano

"....even you're just basing this on a couple of demonstrations that you've seen? That's not very convincing."

Yeah, I went out and witnessed real events for myself, did an analysis based on what was taking place in front of me by the very people in question, and THEN formed my view.....(as opposed to swallowing what NHK, Fox News, or apologists/nationalists on this forum tell me.)

You should try it yourself. You might learn something new.

LOL JeffLee, there's no need to be defensive. I'm just trying to be objective here. You can't grasp that the entire youth is turning nationalistic by a couple of demonstrations that you've seen. Besides they are not large, only around 200 people at most have gathered at those demonstrations.

We should evaluate this based on hard data.

Tibet is part of China. The Dalai Lama is a Lama appointed by China to govern Tibet since the Mongol times. The present Dalai Lama is the 14th Dalai Lama and he was anointed by the Chinese government as were the other Lamas before him. The American CIA and the British intelligence tried to separate Tibet from China but failed. The Dalai Lama oracle knew that was coming and persuaded the Dalai to flee to India. Today he lives in India and is not totally free to move about for various reasons. He wants to return to Tibet and it would be a coup for China for him to return. But will the other Lamas welcome him? There are so many sects in Tibet!!!

As with all reports coming from within the PRC, this piece itself is Chinese propaganda, with no journalistic integrity.

As any of the PRC's South China Seas neighbors who the nationalist bully in the room is, and you'll get the same answer. The name is not "Japan."

Besides, in the end, Japan needs only the support of the United States to win; therefore it's the only relationship they need to cultivate.

Well, no one did better on bad publicity than Abe himself and his right wing, such as visiting the shrine knowing well the negative view by most countries, denials of comfort woman and territorial dispute, well publicized intention to revise history book, prominently posted public photo in Japan military plane with 731 logo, solicit UNESCO, etc.,etc.

Only a hawkish and demented leader would use past atrocities to stir up nationalism for power and popularity. And what does that tell about the people?

I'm starting to think TEPCO management is running Abe's publicity. Unfortunately I expect Abe is doing the job himself. This is very unfortunate as it's giving China the upper hand in picking apart the neighbors. Abe has taken his eye off the ball. Not wise at all.

With the current government policy it's obvious China's the big bad guy from the start but it doesn't mean Japan's LDP is innocent working for the public's best interest. This party is just as guilty of flinging back the mud China is throwing and taking the upper hand as the "lesser evil".

Abe should step down and let someone with with no baggage or less baggage to take over. China and Japan are 2 great nations who can work together to make Asia and the world so much better. All these bickering is useless! Yes, it is too much to expect at this moment for China and Japan to be all lovey dovey, but can we at least have more cooperation. All these constant reference to history and it's denial is doing no one any good. Imagine the new world we can all have if these two can call time out for some time. With Abe and his determined ambition to please the nationalists, visit Yasukuni and white wash parts of history, China will have all the ammunition to gun Japan down in the international media and community. Isn't this quite silly!

Japan needs to be more out ward looking. As a Japanese person living in London, reading about Japanese politics is so frustrating as there seems to be a complete lack of understanding of its position in the world.

1While China winning PR campaign, Abe visited many countries. What he is trying to do for Japan? Many Americans worry about their country;s financial situation.

Some USA people think Japan will take over USA weapon industry just like Japanese auto makers succeeded. Japan jhas nuclear weapon system technology and that is why N Korean threatening, they say. So, it is not militarism but weapon business? As of December 2011, Japan began exporting weapon systems... mainly avionics and missile defense systems (which includes electronic guidance systems and warheads). Japan exports to the U.S., the EU and Australia. Right now, Japan doesn't produce the volume to be competitive in the global weapons market... however, that could change. Weapons is about the only industry the U.S. has left. Japan has started making a big scale of weapon production for global market, and S Korea's weapon export is growing rapidly. It won't take long for The US and EU to lose their last industry. The usa and eu deserve this bad consequences for selling technology to these 2 countries.

Is it Abe strategy to cover these weapon business? Saudi Arab Prince is in Japan now. Saudi spend almost as much as Japan for weapons. India and many other countries have interests in buying from Japan than USA or EU. China win PR and Japan gain sales. What kind of industry will be left in USA?

Eiji TakanoFeb. 16, 2014 - 08:16AM JST Unfortunately the Japanese right wingers don't realize how much they're damaging the Japan's reputation. And they will damage it even further by lashing out at any reasonable foreign criticisms. It just never stops. China must be so incredibly satisfied by this because the right wingers keep shooting themselves in their feet. The PR war is own not because China is doing a good job but the Japanese propagandists are incredibly stupid.

Japan is a democatic country and they are allowed to express themselves without being punished. Since you live there, you know how it is in China. You basically would accept a militant China conquering all of Asia and reducing each country to North Korea as long as it did not affect your precious free trade and investments in China. Better yet your fantasy based view is that all of Asia will just role over and let it happen. I can guarantee you Japan will not roll over. They will go nuclear and build a massive Navy to protect themselves. The South Koreans will do the same. Russia will be selling weapons to everyone in Asia and all of this will happen no matter what the U.S. policy is in Asia.

It is better for the U.S. to be involved militarily with the hope that we can prevent a war by easing the fears of countries like Japan and South Korea and at the same time force China to look elsewhere for the military expansion they want so bad. Looked at historically, China and the U.S. have no conflicting vital interests. The current conflict comes from the WWII/Cold War legacy of U.S. alliances in East Asia, and particularly the U.S.-Japan alliance, which are the foundations of an apparentlhy unshakeable belief that the U.S. must remain an unchallengeable hegemon in East Asia. The alliance system and this U.S. strategy poses an unacceptable potential threat to China’s interests. Japan, left alone, could manage sufficient power to defend herself against aggression from anywhere.

That is not what the Japanese official is worried about.

He is pointing out the phenomena that Western media is used as a mouthpiece of China or Korea.

"13,000,000 Chinese were killed by Japanese during the Second Sino-Japanese war."

"Comfort women were 'drafted' by Japanese Imperial Army."

"Sea of Japan is called East Sea for more than 2000 years."

Western media innocuously quote these untruths to spread misinformation to the world. This is how untruth becomes "truth". Japan is ineffective in preventing Western media from reporting untruth, whereas China and Korea hold all the strings to make Western media into reporting as they want.

CH3CHO Feb. 20, 2014 - 08:56AM JST Japan is ineffective in preventing Western media from reporting untruth, whereas China and Korea hold all the strings to make Western media into reporting as they want.

The goal of U.S. policy toward Japan has always been to advance U.S. interests, and not to advance Japan’s interests. Often, U.S. policy objectives have required Japan to make great sacrifices and take risks that have clearly not been in Japan’s interests. Considering that Japan is in the worst foreign policy and security crisis since the end of WWII in the dispute with China , while at the same time having challenges to its territorial sovereignty by Russia and South Korea, expect Japan’s foreign and defense policies to gradually reinterpret the constitution to allow greater flexability.

T

CH3CHOFEB...

13,000,000 Chinese were killed by Japanese during the Second Sino-Japanese war." "Comfort women were 'drafted' by Japanese Imperial Army." Western media innocuously quote these untruths to spread misinformation to the world.

How much longer are we going to have to put up with your drivel CH3CHOFEB? It's precisely revisionists like you who are tainting Japan's global reputation. If you made similarly revisionist remarks like this publicly in Germany, you would be imprisoned and rightfully so. Here's another statistic for you. In Japanese POW camps in WW2 about 33% of American prisoners perished (and the death rate of Chinese POW's was considerably higher). The death rate of American POWs in German camps was about 1%. In the case of British POWs the death rate in Japanese camps was 25% and in German camps it was 2.5% Please explain that CH3CHOFEB?

No on second thought don't. You are an absolute insult to all the victim's of Japan's Imperialistic past and to any educated, historically aware, person on the planet. Just go away.

zichiFeb. 20, 2014 - 10:31AM JST

Chinese Communist Party used to claim WW2 death toll was 6,000,000. They doubled the number to 13,000,000 after Tian An Men incident in 1989. It seems they trippled it to 18,000,000 now.

China win PR War against Japan. Meanwhile Japan win made in Japan weapon customers away from USA. It already dominated auto industry, etc in USA. Well, China gained US automakers in China, Maybe leftover inefficient USA weapon industry to move to China like GM Ford did? GM Ford customers in China are Chinese. India? Already trying to buy weapons from Japan. Earning big money is better than earning PR.

Well, it looks like the US is about to start the China-containment policy, and Japan and possibly even South Korea is joining the US's "lead".

Prepare for all the anti-china propaganda coming soon from all over the world, especially from the US and Japan.

Japan is only rearming and remilitarizing for the sake of pleasing the US. Japan is planning to be the US's sidekick, like the UK.

zichiFeb. 20, 2014 - 02:57PM JST

There are many other reference sources.

That is my point. China is successful in proliferating their story. If the media keep citing their story, there will be many "references" out there and people tend to believe it or even people make it an established fact. However, if one goes back to the original source of the story, it leads to nothing. You know this is how propaganda becomes a "truth".

That is my point. China is successful in proliferating their story. If the media keep citing their story, there will be many "references" out there and people tend to believe it or even people make it an established fact. However, if one goes back to the original source of the story, it leads to nothing. You know this is how propaganda becomes a "truth".

This is exactly what Japan is trying to do in whitewashing their history. If they keep whitewashing it enough, more and more people will start to believe it, and perpetuate it themselves believing it's truth. Ring any bells?

zichiFeb. 20, 2014 - 05:03PM JST

You really need to learn to accept what happened and move along.

I agree. And that does not mean people should accept what did not happen. It is nothing dificult. All you have to do is just to follow the sources to see if it leads to something.

CH 3 CHO

That is my point. China is successful in proliferating their story. If the media keep citing their story, there will be many "references" out there and people tend to believe it or even people make it an established fact. However, if one goes back to the original source of the story, it leads to nothing. You know this is how propaganda becomes a "truth".

You are correct.

It is the political style of communist China.

If you trust the propaganda of communists, it is as zichi.

CH3CH0 and others, why do you try to defend your ex and current Japanese government no matter what, as if you were their lawyer?

If you were really trying protect it, then you would accept that it did some bad things to try to make it better. But alas, there's no real patriotism for you, just misguided self centered nationalism that does not allow for any flaws.

Effect of China PR is more important than how China barks differently. Does China convinced USA people? Do Arabic countries stopped to purchase Japanese brand products? How many countries showed sympathy to China?

I've been reading books by Karel van Wolferen, and he's been warning for a while that America is turning China into its hypothetical enemy, due to the military-industrial complex that started to walk on its own that is unstoppable even by the American people or the president, and the far-right takeover in US politics since the Bush administration. He's been warning that Japan could be dragged into this if Japan does not change the US-servility direction, and it would destabilize the Asian region.

I think what he's saying matches the current situation completely. Current Japanese politicians aren't even trying to hide the fact that they are trying to start a war with China. One politician recently said to the US that Japan is making its economy stronger all so that its military can attack China.

Who does benefit by attack China? Almost no one, except for the military-industrial complex.

Echoed a Western diplomat in Beijing: “China is being successful at getting its message across while Japan keeps saying stupid things like questioning the existence of ‘comfort women.’ I think (China) has changed opinions.” Very pertinent point and best describes the situation at hand. And for pity's sake Jap politicians should rather find a better stance than refuting the "comfort women" issue.

The point is it is all well and good to recognise mistakes of the past and learn from them but do not base opinion of a nation on history. Look at where and what Japan is now. We cannot base opinion on the past as every nation would be riddled with guilt and shame. Since the war, nearly 70 years ago, what has Japan become? Probably the most admirable nation in the world! And what of China?

The point is it is all well and good to recognise mistakes of the past and learn from them but do not base opinion of a nation on history. Look at where and what Japan is now. We cannot base opinion on the past as every nation would be riddled with guilt and shame. Since the war, nearly 70 years ago, what has Japan become? Probably the most admirable nation in the world!

If the Japanese had left things to rest, the rest of the world would move on. China and Japan had a good relationship a few years ago. But there is a major whitewashing campaign going on by the current Japanese government to try to re-write their history to paint themselves as the victims in WWII, and to make their actions against other Asian countries to be not so bad. I can't tell you how many times older Japanese men have told me that the Koreans should be thankful because Japan modernized their country during the occupation.

Every Chinese and Korean outburst comes after some action by the Japanese that inflames tensions. It's always reactive. In the periods of time when the Japanese have not done anything to cause tensions, the countries have been peaceful and goodwill increases - this is proven by the reports they constantly do about how the citizens of each country feel about each other. During the DPJ leadership period of the country, things were going really well (until the end when they went really bad), because the Japanese weren't making revisionist statements or visiting Yasukuni.

zichiFeb. 20, 2014 - 09:48PM JST According to American specialists, China is planning a short quick war with Japan?

That is correct, but with all plans of mice and men they always go astray and grow up to be bigger and more damaging wars.

http://news.usni.org/2014/02/18/navy-official-china-training-short-sharp-war-japan

I wonder which side the anti-Japan poster here would take when Communist China attacks Japan?

Let me answer that question myself, they will side with the country they love and work for, Communist China.

This very topic and the comments by the Anti-Japan far-leftist/Communist here proves that Communist China's 50-Cent Army is hard at work to try and convince the world and Japan that their nation is and was just a victim.

Communist China was not a victim in WWII, hell, Communist China wasn't even a nation during WWII. Communist China was a petty rebel organization who gained a nation because of Imperial Japan's war of aggression.

Even Mao himself thanked the Japanese for invading Nationalist China. Because if it wasn't for the Sino-Japan war Mao's tiny revolution would have sputtered and died out.

Look past the PR bunk and you will see the truth. Communist China wasn't the victim during or after WWII and Communist China isn't the victim today.

The truth is this, Communist China is peppering the net with this PR to make the world believe it is a victim. They hope that by telling the world they were a victim that the world will turn a blind eye when Communist China invades Japan.

I am pretty sure that when they being their ever so wanted "short war" against Japan that the true facts of who the Communist Chinese posters are and aren't will be revealed. They will drop their veils and show us their true selves.

The PR war is the first wave of their invasion of Japan. Those that fall for this PR are the one's that will be first to cry and ask why.

Communism is a plague and their 50-Cent army here are just the carriers of that plague.

Fall for it or wake up and see the truth, it's up to you, at least I know which side I stand on.

But, I am pretty sure that many here would love to be wearing their government issued little Mao Suits anyways.

What Japan did was shameful. Japan now has no friends in Asia. I think it's about time Japan does the right thing and apologize.

this article created by the Reuters agency is all nonesense and junk. they are showing a typical mandated pro china bias that is common among the main stream media who all back China due to investment issues and the US governement covert attempts to push China. Japan is doing just fine thank you very much. They show restraint and proper defense of their territory and Abe and any other Japanese official has every right and indeed an obligatoin to visit the war dead of their own country any time any day all day if they want. It is none of China's business how another country conducts its life and shows China's immense hubris and arrogance and attempt to bully the entire world on this and many other issues.

Time for the paper tiger to shut up.