Ruthlessly defying the sentiments of the victim countries and people, the Japanese administration has shown no sign of the considerate trait boasted to be a virtue of the Japanese nation.
American anthropologist Ruth Benedict has used the images of "the chrysanthemum and the sword" to describe Japanese culture. However, when it comes to its authority, the tranquil "chrysanthemum" has vanished with only the warmongering "sword" remaining.
WARLIKE PERILS
Abe and his administration have been in office for almost three years, during which time Japan eased its weapon export rules, increased military spending, weakened civilian control over the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), and pushed controversial security bills and amendments to its pacifist Constitution. These appear to be perilous moves to seek military power.
Japan's postwar Constitution states that "... land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized."
Such provisions, though having laid the political cornerstone for Japan's peace and stability and its economic takeoff, are seen by right-wing forces as shackles on the country. This situation is reminiscent of a similar situation involving Japan's military authority in the 1930s, which resented and withdrew from the disarmament agreements in the Washington Naval Treaty and the London Naval Treaty.
There are even more signs that may make people wary of a possible return by Japan to its militarism past.
By controlling public broadcaster NHK, Abe has made the organization a right-wing mouthpiece, which is not dissimilar to the wartime media frenzy for militarism in Japan.
In addition, the Japanese government has revised textbooks to indoctrinate students with ideas about Japanese rule over the Diaoyu Islands, which are in fact Chinese territory, as well as some other disputed territories. This resembles the Japanese authority's teaching to justify its colonial rule in northeast China in the 1930s.
Moreover, people may fairly doubt the concepts of "proactive pacifism" and "arc of freedom and prosperity" touted by Abe, as they look so similar to Japan's wartime rhetoric of the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere", which was used as an excuse for its invasion and occupation of China and other regional neighbors.
What could be seen as alarming is the acceptance of this right-wing ideology among some ordinary Japanese citizens.
The opinion that China and the Republic of Korea are causing a fuss over historical issues are sometimes topics on Japanese online forums, which, once again, seems like the situation over 70 years ago when many Japanese, blindfolded by their militarist authority, were bewildered by the resistance of the Chinese and Korean peoples.
A DOOMED WAR
Fortunately, however, sober and peace-loving voices are still the mainstream among Japanese public.
According to a recent poll by the NHK, the support rate for Abe's Cabinet has dropped to 37 percent with over 60 percent of respondents expressing disapproval of the country's controversial security bills, which will allow Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense.
Hano Kenji, a former local council member in Toyama, criticized Abe's ignorance of the country's aggressive past as "shameless."
More than 70 years ago, Japanese militants waged a war of aggression under the banner of a "Holy War." Decades after, the Japanese administration could be seen to be continuing this "Holy War" on historical issues, heading toward a similar doomed end.
