こんにちは。
10月から英文のコラムを掲載します。
『週刊新潮』の「日本ルネッサンス」の英語版です。
御興味のある方は英語でも読んで下さい。
　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　櫻井　よしこ

Greetings from Tokyo.

　　　　　It is a pleasure to announce the launch of a new project for the interested parties overseas — an essay series reflecting my point of view as a Japanese journalist on a wide range of issues affecting national and international security and wellbeing.
　　　　　While studying in the United States in my youth, I was made painfully aware of how little the Japanese understood the world outside – and, by the same token, how little the world understood us. This was many years ago, but I am afraid the situation remains basically the same today. The main obstacle: lack of a constant flow of pertinent messages from Japan on all levels, not only government.
　　　　　As someone having been involved in newspaper and television journalism over the years, I have tackled a variety of topics having significant bearings on Japan – and on the international community for that matter — and have this time decided to commit myself every week from now on to introduce my point of view on current topics overseas as a means of helping the world come to grips with Japan better, while subsequently helping Japan become better understood and accepted by the world community.
　　　　　In December 2007, in an effort to help reconstruct Japan, I set up the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals (JINF), a 100 percent privately funded think thank aimed at re-addressing the fundamental national and international issues confronting Japan. I sincerely hope that you will also visit the JINF site for more views and information on its activities in addition to enjoying this new series, which is fundamentally based on “Renaissance Japan” — my on-going Japanese-language series carried since 2002 by the popular “Weekly Shincho” magazine.

–Yoshiko Sakurai, Journalist & President of Japan Institute for National Fundamentals (JINF)

Hiding Behind the Skirts of Local Prosecutors ――The Cowardly Diplomacy of Kan and Sengoku

　　　　　There can hardly be anything more intolerable than the cowardice demonstrated by Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Chief Cabinet Secretary　Yoshito Sengoku in their recent handling of the violation of Japan’s territorial waters by a Chinese trawler ship near the Senkaku Islands.

　　　　　Should the ship’s captain be arrested — or deported instead? Any conclusion on so critical an issue as this, with the sure-fire possibility of grave diplomatic friction between Japan and China, could not have been reached without a political decision by the government.

　　　　　In March 2004, during the administration of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Japan’s then incumbent Liberal-Democratic government deported seven Chinese activists who had illegally landed on one of Senkaku’s islets. At the time, Koizumi remarked: “The Japanese government has dealt with the incident properly acting in accordance with Japanese domestic law, and we now deem it necessary to render a judgment on a broader basis, careful not to adversely affect overall Japan-China relations. Based on such a principle, I have instructed the authorities concerned accordingly.” Koizumi thus admitted that he himself made a political decision on his own responsibility as Prime Minister. Needless to say, politicians — especially prime ministers — cannot afford to sidestep problems of such magnitude affecting their nation.

　　　　　In the past, Japan has resolved sovereignty-related issues involving its territory — land as well as sea — on the basis of political decisions reached at the highest level of the government while in fact implementing those decisions through judiciary action. The same principle should apply today.

　　　　　Unlike the 2004 case, however, the incumbent Democratic（DPJ） administration took the plunge this time and initially arrested the Chinese captain. Some credit is due the DPJ for having made a political decision at the outset to secure the arrest of a trespasser in a case which the Liberal Democrats would most likely have evaded with a hasty deportation.

　　　　　That the release of the captain reflected yet another political decision is obvious from the series of consultations the Prime Minister’s office had with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs amid mounting pressure from China, after which the ministry on September 23 dispatched a section staff to the District Prosecutors’ Office in Naha, Okinawa, to communicate the intention of the PM’s office. The following day, the local prosecutors’ office announced the captain’s release, claiming it had “taken into consideration the effects on the people of Japan as well as on future Japan-China relations.”

　　　　　Nevertheless, Sengoku continued to cite “the prosecutors’ decision” as the sole factor contributing to the release. Sengoku’s disingenuous explanations have been viewed with a high degree of skepticism by most Japanese.

　　　　　For his part, Kan also referred to “a judiciary decision” as he made his diplomatic debut at the United Nations. What a pity it was to have to watch the Japanese prime minister on television in New York, his facial expressions betraying a lack of self-confidence as he cast his unfocused eyes timidly and listlessly around — the sight of a politician who has not only failed to come to grips with what he as the prime minister should do in international politics, but, far worse, does not even appear to know what diplomacy is all about in the first place.

No Territorial Issue Exists over the Senkaku Islands

　　　　　 It was indeed pathetic of Kan to have attempted to evade his responsibility as premier by trying to claim that the decision was made by a small local public office called the Naha District Prosecutors’ Office. This is nothing but sheer cowardice on his part. Needless to say, a prime minister should neither be incompetent nor disengaged. Moreover, for him to be a coward is unpardonable under all circumstances. Despite having steadily propagated a form of governance led by politicians, the prime minister dared shift the responsibility at this most critical stage and hid behind the shelter of　“a judiciary decision ”. Kan should bear in mind that such an act is despicable  and inexcusable for anyone, much less a politician of his standing, to say the least.

　　　　　The costs to Japan of the cowardly diplomacy pursued by the two leaders have been — and will be — inestimable. The timid Japanese posture has caused China to freshly recognize Japan as a nation that easily knuckles under to threats, while making a host of Asian nations facing China’s threats in the South China Sea alarmingly aware that Japan cannot be counted upon. Japan’s credibility in the international community has thus been shamefully damaged.

　　　　　Sensing the effects of the use of power — brilliant from the Chinese point of view — China is further pressuring Japan around the Shirakaba ( “Chunxiao” to the Chinese) gas field in the East China Sea as well as in the waters off Senkaku. Sengoku has admitted that two Chinese fishery patrol boats are now operating inside the Japanese exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the seas around Senkaku. The Japan Coast Guard has dispatched six patrol boats to watch over the two Chinese vessels that are making “extremely delicate moves” in the contiguous zone where Japan’s territorial waters and the EEZ merge. Tension has clearly been building up around the Shirakaba gas field. Belittling the DPJ government’s ability to cope effectively with crises, China is obviously making the most of the opportunity now to go on the offensive.

　　　　　As many as 10 Chinese vessels, including the marine survey ship Hai Jian 51 belonging to China’s State Oceanic Administration, are cruising in the waters around the Shirakaba gas field. It is the first time that so many Chinese vessels have congregated in the area, and it would hardly be surprising if China were to start drilling some time soon. What in the world will Japan do if that happens?

　　　　　Rather than fuming over the incorrigible follies of their government, however, people in Japan should first and foremost prioritize what they should do in terms of addressing critical problems affecting the nation and steadily cope with them one by one.

　　　　　Firstly, Japan should make clear its fundamental principles as a nation. In other words, Japan should declare its political resolve, both at home and abroad, that under no circumstances will it recognize or tolerate China’s barbaric acts in which it resorts to sheer force in plotting a change in the existing order in the international community, distorting the truth, and depriving its neighbors of their territories, both land and sea.

　　　　　In order to demonstrate its resolve to the international community, Japan should explain — as comprehensively as possible — that the Senkaku Islands are an inherent Japanese territory, that as many as 248 Japanese fishermen were living on one of the islands in 1909, and that it was in December 1971 that China first began claiming territorial rights there — only after huge oil reserves became known to exist in the region. Japan should vigorously publicize its position on Senkaku until the international community finally shares the common perception that no territorial issue does indeed exist over the islands.

　　　　　Next, the video showing the whole sequence of the willful collision of the Chinese trawler with the Japan Coast Guard patrol boats should be made public as one of the most effective means of refuting the malicious Chinese slander that the Japanese boats actually caused the incident. Images from the video will speak the truth far more eloquently than anything else, and promise to deliver the right message to the people of China who now unequivocally label Japan as the villain. Simultaneously, the images will lay bare the blatant lies that the Chinese government has been telling its people — as well as the international community — about the incident.

　　　　　At the same time, Japan should cope effectively with the immediate problems that have no doubt been aggravated by the current tensions. Chinese fishing boats will surely return to the Japanese territorial waters off Senkaku — one of the region’s richest fisheries. China will most likely amass its military power in those waters and try to grab hold of the abundant reserves of natural resources there. That is all the more reason to speedily work out measures to check China from reaching for Japan’s inherent natural resources in the region in question.

Pitiful State of A Country with “Subject Nation” Mentality

　　　　　Japan must also demonstrate its power, quietly but resolutely, in order to prevent China from continuing to act on the misconception that 19^th century imperialism — based on the notion that a nation can blatantly deprive others of their territory so long as it is militarily dominant — is still valid in the 21^st century. Japan should expedite a permanent stationing of its self defense force troops on the Senkaku Islands as a deterrent to prevent China from desiring to violate the others’ territories. Imagine how invigorating such a step would be to those Asian nations long suffering from Chinese pressure in the South China Sea. A precedence of thwarting Chinese aggression in Asia must be set by Japan. If it can’t hold its ground now, will it ever?

　　　　　Additionally, in view of China’s stubborn refusal to discuss further the already agreed-upon co-development of the Shirakaba gas field, as well as visible signs of its rushing into a unilateral development of the field at any time, Japan should by all means start its own drilling process immediately. Further, in the absence of laws making violation of the Japanese territorial waters punishable, government and opposition parties should urgently work in tandem to work out pertinent laws as soon as possible.

　　　　　The Japanese should this time really take these crucial questions to heart. For instance, whatever has reduced Japan to such a spiritless state — a nation devoid of the mettle that had once carried it so far? Also, why does China still continue to adopt a high-handed policy toward Japan, demanding an apology and compensation for the arrest and detention of the trawler captain who has already been released and reached home safely, holding four Japanese civilians in custody on obscure charges (three of them have since been released) , and virtually banning the export of rare earth metals to Japan? The answer is clear and simple: China has grasped the truth about Japan today – a nation ridden with a subject nation mentality which has made it ever so dependent on the United States for almost anything and everything.

　　　　　It goes without saying that a nation should possess enough power to protect its own inherent land and waters, along with the welfare of its people. However, post-war Japan under the existing “peace” constitution has determined to “trust in the justice and faith of the peace-loving peoples of the world… to preserve its security and existence.” Closing its eyes to a grandiose fiction that is no longer practical in today’s world, Japan has sadly stopped thinking about its own security and sovereignty and resigned itself to becoming completely dependent on the United States. It is about time the people awakened to the fiction of the Japanese constitution and the pitiful state of their nation so precariously ridden with this subject nation mentality. Clearly, Japan must take steps to protect itself on its own, including an early adoption of a new constitution. Only when the people so make up their minds as to put their visions into concrete action, will they be in a position to bid farewell to the cowardly presence of the likes of Messrs. Kan and Sengoku.

（Translated from “Renaissance Japan” column No. 430 in the October 7, 2010 issue of the “Weekly Shincho”)