LDP's submission to the United States is a cause of Japan's isolation -- Akahata editorial, October 23Japan, which is bound by its military alliance with the United States, has isolated itself from the rest of the world. This was brought to light in recent international conferences.
At an Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) conference, Japan came under fire when it refused to sign ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation on the grounds that it conflicts with the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.
Japan's Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro was unable to answer a question about Japan's relationship with ASEAN at a press conference during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
These events show that the need now is for Japan to break away from politics of subordination to the United States.
Is Japan a U.S. satellite?
The ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, which is like an ASEAN constitution, is intended to maintain regional peace and stability through dialogue and cooperation, consultation, and consensus without outside interference or use of force.
In sharp contrast to Japan refusing to sign in deference to the United States, China and India signed the treaty during the ASEAN summit.
Japan's isolation from the international community is a logical outcome of its subservience to the United States and its view that the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty is absolute.
In his campaign speeches, Prime Minister Koizumi tried to justify Japan's foreign policy including its support for the Iraq war, saying that the Japan-U.S. alliance and international cooperation form the basis of Japan's foreign policy. Now that the arguments regarding weapons of mass destruction and terrorism can no longer be used to justify its Iraq policy, the need for the Japan-U.S. alliance is all that Koizumi can say.
However, the argument that the Japan-U.S. alliance is the reason for Japan's support for the lawless war on Iraq is baseless, as clear from the fact that France and Germany, both U.S. allies, are opposing the war and refusing to send troops or contribute money.
The Japan-U.S. military alliance is incompatible with international cooperation and will only alienate Japan from the rest of the world, just as the recent ASEAN and APEC conferences have shown. It stands to reason that Koizumi's argument was not included in APEC summit documents.
The prime minister's argument that the Japan-U.S. alliance is pivotal in Japan's foreign policy represents the position that Japan will act politically as well as diplomatically in complete subservience to the United States.
Koizumi has said he once told Blair, "You are criticized as Bush's poodle, but I am called his lap dog, wagging its tail shamelessly in front of the U.S. president.''
Everyone knows that public criticism of Blair's participation in the Iraq war has led to a sharp decline in his support rate, but Koizumi is intent on contributing money to help the Iraq occupation forces as well as dispatching the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq.
Suddeutsche Zeitung has rightly reported that Japan is a U.S. satellite state like the way former East Germany was related to the former Soviet Union.
The Japan-U.S. Security Treaty setup is an extraordinary military alliance which binds Japan as a subordinate ally of the United States in all aspects, including militarily, diplomatically, and economically.
Japan's subordination to the United States is now geared to supporting the U.S. preemptive attack strategy, thereby fueling military tension in Asia and the rest of the world.
Only by getting itself free of the military alliance can Japan establish equal relations and friendship with the United States, and contribute to developing global peace and friendship.
There is another way
The question is how to remake Japan in that direction.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party in its election platform maintains that Japan should rely on the Japan-U.S. alliance as the pivot, and the opposition Democratic Party of Japan insists that Japan-U.S. relations need to be strengthened.
If Japan allows these parties to continue clinging to the military alliance, it will only help deepen Japan's subservience to the United States.
The Japanese Communist Party is the only party in Japan demanding that the Japan-U.S. military alliance must be abolished in order to pave the way for an independent Japan that will allow Japan to fully contribute to peace in Asia and the rest of the world. A major JCP advance in the general election is the key to securing Japan's future. (end)