Japan Press Weekly

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2013 October 2 - 8 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Policy toward China differs between Japan and US

A two-plus-two meeting of the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee on October 3 offered a glimpse of a subtle difference between Japan and the United States in their policy toward the rise of China.

After the two-plus-two talks, major newspapers reported on the discrepancy with headlines that read: how Japan sees China differs from the U.S. (Tokyo Shimbun); a difference between Japan and U.S. exists regarding the issue of Senkaku Islands (Mainichi Shimbun); and Japan and the U.S. share the same bed but different dreams (Asahi Shimbun).

Defense officials of both countries discussed revision of the Japan-U.S. defense cooperation guidelines as one of the important items on the agenda.

The rise of China lies behind Japan’s desire to upgrade the guidelines as cited by former Parliamentary Secretary of Defense Nagashima Akihisa (Democratic Party). The present government led by the Liberal Democratic Party also takes a hostile position on China.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has worsened Japan-China relations with his distorted understanding of history. The Abe Cabinet is planning to implement a military buildup of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in the southwestern islands without searching for a way to have bilateral dialogue on each government’s claim to the Senkakus. Furthermore, the Abe administration, with a possible military clash in mind, seeks to change constitutional interpretations so that Japan can exercise the right to collective self-defense.

The U.S. administration, on the other hand, has begun to take a conciliatory stance toward China.

At the U.S.-China Summit meeting in June, the two nations declared a new direction in relations between the two powers. The defense ministers of both counties in August agreed to a power balance in strategies affecting the Asia Pacific region. Next summer, the Chinese military will formally participate in U.S.-led multilateral training exercises. Former Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell also mentioned during a meeting held on October 2 in Tokyo that a subtle shift in U.S. policy vis-a-vis China is emerging.

Nevertheless, the United States still remains cautious about China. Experts feel that the Obama administration does not have a clear vision yet in terms of how to deal with the rise of China.

Kawakami Takashi, professor at Takushoku University, in a magazine published by Japan’s Foreign Ministry concluded that the United States and South Korea are turning toward improving relations with China.

Kawakami argued that Obama is facing the need to pursue a conciliatory approach to China and to maintain the Japan-U.S. alliance at the same time because of the planned massive cuts in the U.S. military budget, and the administration as a result is concerned about being involved in the Japan-China dispute over their territorial issue involving the Senkakus. The United States is now reluctant to review the Japan-U.S. military cooperation guidelines with keeping good relations with China in mind, Kawakami added.

Akahata reported that the two-plus-two consultative meeting will come to a deadlock in regard to a guideline revision.