The Real Causes for Japan's Rightward Shift Need to be Addressed
ONO Goro / Professor Emeritus at Saitama University
January 30, 2013
The result of recent elections has led to growing concern over Japan's "rightward shift." True, newly-elected Prime Minister Abe Shinzo advocated "constitutional revision" and "stationing public officials on the Senkaku Islands on a permanent basis" as part of his campaign pledge. And Mr. Ishihara Shintaro, whose Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party) emerged from the elections with a greater presence, also touched on a "nuclear (armament) simulation" and the need for Japan's break from its status as "America's mistress."
Heightened tensions with regional neighbors, such as the firing of a long-range missile by North Korea and violation of Japan's territorial waters by China, provided the backdrop for such statements. In an outcome that must have been unexpected even by the neighboring countries themselves, applying pressure on Japan has in effect strengthened the hand of these right-leaning forces. And while Japan's ally the United States and other Asian countries must have welcomed the return to government of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komei Party, with which they have enjoyed an amicable relationship over the years, surely they do not favor radical change.
Recent developments have revealed an important fact, that the Japanese people themselves – let alone foreigners – lack an accurate understanding of the Japanese national traits.
To borrow from Watsuji Tetsuro's Climate and Culture, the Japanese people traditionally possess two attributes - "perseverance" and "leap (of the imagination or action)" - rooted in its "typhoon" climate, which gives them a paradoxical character. They are on the whole quite "docile" under normal circumstances, but once excited they are "prone to get out of control." This national character has remained at the source, and has been demonstrated in the country's recent history. Japan pursued rapid modernization and militarization during the final years of the Edo period through the pre-World War years as the western powers applied pressure to open its ports, while during the prolonged period of postwar peace took on a pacifist stance of "cherishing harmony among the people" that has been part of its history since the times of Shotoku Taishi in the sixth to seventh centuries.
Several other factors took effect over the course of time up to the present, in which Japan experienced the U.S. Occupation and dramatic economic growth, resulting in the extremely complex psychological state in which the Japanese find themselves today.
One aspect of this mentality is the illusory perception shared by the Japanese people that they have already atoned for their deeds during World War II since the military establishment was held accountable for all that had transpired - which was the governing policy of the U.S. Occupational Forces. For example, it was not only the military but the general populace of Imperial Japan that sought to defame the cultures of Korea and China, whose histories are more ancient than that of Japan. However, most Japanese today are not consciously aware of this point.
Another aspect is the fact that Japan owes its current prosperity to the systems of democracy and market economy that were planted in its society by the United States. This nurtured an unquestioning sense of reverence towards the country that brought these gifts to Japan.
Yet, instead of self-introspection, once it attained economic affluence and maturity Japan suddenly erupted in a backlash against the overbearing presence of the United States, vented its frustration at the postwar rules that were forced upon it by the victor nations and criticized the excesses of market economics.
Meanwhile, as the only country that suffered an atomic bombing, Japan has upheld the "elimination of nuclear weapons" as a national policy and advocated its "three non-nuclear principles." Japan had thus abandoned its right to nuclear armament, the most effective means of defense against external threat, though it is potentially quite capable of doing so. Consequently, today the country's entire population of 120 million is being held hostage by North Korea due to its deployment of nuclear missiles. And in the same vein, the issue of abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea signifies not only a violation of human rights against their compatriots, but a powerful subconscious stress that reminds the Japanese that they are all captives under the same predicament. Furthermore, the Japanese no longer trust the "U.S. nuclear umbrella" as much as they did during the Cold War era, due to the somewhat benign response to North Korea shown by the United States to date.
This complex psychology has overlapped with various other conditions to create an attitude among the Japanese that seems at once curious to the foreign eye, of treating the direct threat of the launch of a long-range missile by North Korea on the same level with the abduction issue, which lies on a different plane altogether. It has also led to the rightward shift today.
All this requires the international community to come to an accurate understanding of the situation, that accommodating North Korean adventurism would have consequences that go far beyond the threat posed by the nuclear armament of a small country. In other words, the world is faced with the possible risk of dramatically heightened tensions in East Asia caused by the nuclear armament of Japan, a major power in the region.
To be sure, the Japanese government will not make any hasty decision on nuclear armament, since the majority of its people are against such a move. However, at the same time we should be alerted to the fact that several influential politicians have made behind-the-scenes comments on the "nuclear" option. Furthermore, Japan possesses not only the financial means but the science and technology for potentially developing nuclear weapons and missiles, as well as ample precision machinery and plutonium required for manufacturing them.
On the other hand, I cannot lend my support to the idea of "abolishing all nuclear power plants" as advocated by some anti-nuclear groups. The nuclear power plants that Japan possesses for peaceful use have in fact restrained Japan's neighboring countries from making adventurist moves, precisely because of the fear that such moves may indeed incite Japan to realize its real potential.
In conclusion, to prevent Japan from taking an unwanted course, it is crucial to eliminate the threats it faces, both nuclear and otherwise. Conversely, once such threats are removed, decent people who constitute the majority in Japan would no doubt be able to defeat the tempting course of nuclear arms development. That is to say the United States, along with other major nuclear powers in the region such as China and Russia, should work to avoid the worst-risk scenario of Japanese nuclear armament not only by refraining from applying excessive pressure on Japan but by doing everything in their power to put a stop to North Korean adventurism.
Having said so, I must add that as a precondition the Japanese people must themselves stop laying the blame on the old military establishment and conduct a sober review of the prewar atrocities committed by its own countrymen, just as Germany punished the Nazis to achieve a reconciliation with its neighbors.
Goro Ono is Professor Emeritus at Saitama University.
The Real Causes for Japan's Rightward Shift Need to be Addressed
Heightened tensions with regional neighbors, such as the firing of a long-range missile by North Korea and violation of Japan's territorial waters by China, provided the backdrop for such statements. In an outcome that must have been unexpected even by the neighboring countries themselves, applying pressure on Japan has in effect strengthened the hand of these right-leaning forces. And while Japan's ally the United States and other Asian countries must have welcomed the return to government of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komei Party, with which they have enjoyed an amicable relationship over the years, surely they do not favor radical change.
Recent developments have revealed an important fact, that the Japanese people themselves – let alone foreigners – lack an accurate understanding of the Japanese national traits.
To borrow from Watsuji Tetsuro's Climate and Culture, the Japanese people traditionally possess two attributes - "perseverance" and "leap (of the imagination or action)" - rooted in its "typhoon" climate, which gives them a paradoxical character. They are on the whole quite "docile" under normal circumstances, but once excited they are "prone to get out of control." This national character has remained at the source, and has been demonstrated in the country's recent history. Japan pursued rapid modernization and militarization during the final years of the Edo period through the pre-World War years as the western powers applied pressure to open its ports, while during the prolonged period of postwar peace took on a pacifist stance of "cherishing harmony among the people" that has been part of its history since the times of Shotoku Taishi in the sixth to seventh centuries.
Several other factors took effect over the course of time up to the present, in which Japan experienced the U.S. Occupation and dramatic economic growth, resulting in the extremely complex psychological state in which the Japanese find themselves today.
One aspect of this mentality is the illusory perception shared by the Japanese people that they have already atoned for their deeds during World War II since the military establishment was held accountable for all that had transpired - which was the governing policy of the U.S. Occupational Forces. For example, it was not only the military but the general populace of Imperial Japan that sought to defame the cultures of Korea and China, whose histories are more ancient than that of Japan. However, most Japanese today are not consciously aware of this point.
Another aspect is the fact that Japan owes its current prosperity to the systems of democracy and market economy that were planted in its society by the United States. This nurtured an unquestioning sense of reverence towards the country that brought these gifts to Japan.
Yet, instead of self-introspection, once it attained economic affluence and maturity Japan suddenly erupted in a backlash against the overbearing presence of the United States, vented its frustration at the postwar rules that were forced upon it by the victor nations and criticized the excesses of market economics.
Meanwhile, as the only country that suffered an atomic bombing, Japan has upheld the "elimination of nuclear weapons" as a national policy and advocated its "three non-nuclear principles." Japan had thus abandoned its right to nuclear armament, the most effective means of defense against external threat, though it is potentially quite capable of doing so. Consequently, today the country's entire population of 120 million is being held hostage by North Korea due to its deployment of nuclear missiles. And in the same vein, the issue of abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea signifies not only a violation of human rights against their compatriots, but a powerful subconscious stress that reminds the Japanese that they are all captives under the same predicament. Furthermore, the Japanese no longer trust the "U.S. nuclear umbrella" as much as they did during the Cold War era, due to the somewhat benign response to North Korea shown by the United States to date.
This complex psychology has overlapped with various other conditions to create an attitude among the Japanese that seems at once curious to the foreign eye, of treating the direct threat of the launch of a long-range missile by North Korea on the same level with the abduction issue, which lies on a different plane altogether. It has also led to the rightward shift today.
All this requires the international community to come to an accurate understanding of the situation, that accommodating North Korean adventurism would have consequences that go far beyond the threat posed by the nuclear armament of a small country. In other words, the world is faced with the possible risk of dramatically heightened tensions in East Asia caused by the nuclear armament of Japan, a major power in the region.
To be sure, the Japanese government will not make any hasty decision on nuclear armament, since the majority of its people are against such a move. However, at the same time we should be alerted to the fact that several influential politicians have made behind-the-scenes comments on the "nuclear" option. Furthermore, Japan possesses not only the financial means but the science and technology for potentially developing nuclear weapons and missiles, as well as ample precision machinery and plutonium required for manufacturing them.
On the other hand, I cannot lend my support to the idea of "abolishing all nuclear power plants" as advocated by some anti-nuclear groups. The nuclear power plants that Japan possesses for peaceful use have in fact restrained Japan's neighboring countries from making adventurist moves, precisely because of the fear that such moves may indeed incite Japan to realize its real potential.
In conclusion, to prevent Japan from taking an unwanted course, it is crucial to eliminate the threats it faces, both nuclear and otherwise. Conversely, once such threats are removed, decent people who constitute the majority in Japan would no doubt be able to defeat the tempting course of nuclear arms development. That is to say the United States, along with other major nuclear powers in the region such as China and Russia, should work to avoid the worst-risk scenario of Japanese nuclear armament not only by refraining from applying excessive pressure on Japan but by doing everything in their power to put a stop to North Korean adventurism.
Having said so, I must add that as a precondition the Japanese people must themselves stop laying the blame on the old military establishment and conduct a sober review of the prewar atrocities committed by its own countrymen, just as Germany punished the Nazis to achieve a reconciliation with its neighbors.
Goro Ono is Professor Emeritus at Saitama University.
The Real Causes for Japan's Rightward Shift Need to be Addressed
The English-Speaking Union of Japan
日本右傾化の背景
小野 五郎 / 埼玉大学名誉教授
2013年 1月 30日
政権交代の結果、「日本の右傾化」への懸念が高まっている。たしかに、安倍新総理は「憲法改正」「尖閣に公務員常駐」といった選挙公約を掲げていたし、存在感を増した維新を率いる石原氏は「核シミュレーション」「米国の妾脱却」に言及している。
その背景には、北朝鮮の長距離ミサイル発射や中国による領海侵犯など、周辺国との緊張関係の高まりがあった。こうした対日プレッシャーがかえって右傾化勢力を台頭させるとは、当の周辺国にとっても思惑違いだっただろう。また、同盟国アメリカや他のアジア各国も、永年友好関係にあった自公政権の復帰は望ましいが、あまり過激な変化は好ましくないにちがいない。
そこで明らかになったのが「そもそも外国人のみならず当の日本人自身が、日本人の民族性というものを正確に理解していない」という事実である。
本来、日本人は和辻哲郎の言う「台風」型風土に根付く「忍従」と「飛躍」という二つの性格を有し、平時は総じて「大人しい」が、一たび激すると「暴走しやすい」という相反する二面性を有する。それが欧米列強により開国を強いられた幕末から戦前にかけては急速な近代化・軍事国家化へと進ませ、戦後長らく続いた和平の下では聖徳太子以来の「和をもって尊し」とする平和志向として発露した源泉である。
そこに、被占領を経て高度成長から今日に至る過程で、さらに幾つかの要因が働きかけて現代日本人の極めて複雑な心理状態が作られた。
その一つが、占領軍の統治方針として何事も「軍部の責任」とされ、日本国民もそれにより自らの贖罪が済んだと錯覚したことである。例えば、かつて自国より長い歴史のある中国や朝鮮・韓国の文化を毀損したのは軍部のみならず大日本帝国国民一般だったのに、現代日本人の多くはそうと知覚していない。
今一つが、米国が植えつけた民主主義と市場経済により今日の繁栄を収めたことである。このため、それらをもたらしてくれた米国への畏敬の念が一部で無批判に育まれてきた。
ところが、経済的にゆとりが生じ社会が成熟すると、自己反省なきまま、米国のオーバープレゼンスへの反発、戦勝国の戦後ルール押し付けへの憤懣、行きすぎた市場経済主義に対する批判などが一挙に顕在化することとなった。
一方、日本は唯一の被爆国として「核廃絶」を国是とし「非核三原則」を謳っているため、外からの脅威に対して最も有効な自衛手段である核武装の権利を、自らその能力が十分あるにもかかわらず放棄した。ゆえに今日、北朝鮮の核ミサイル装備によって一億二千万国民全員が北朝鮮の人質状態に陥っている。いわば拉致問題は単に同胞への人権侵害ではなく、自分たち全員が同じ境遇に置かれているという潜在的な強いストレスなのだ。なお、今や日本人の「米国の核の傘」への信頼は、米国のこれまでの北朝鮮への対応の温さからして冷戦下ほどには高くない。
そうした複雑な日本人の心理と諸般の条件が折り重なり、北朝鮮による長距離ミサイル発射という直接的な脅威とそれとは次元の異なる拉致問題とを同列に扱うという、他国から見ると一見奇妙な態度を日本人が取るようになり、かつ、今日の右傾化を招いた。
となると、国際社会が正しく認識すべきは、北朝鮮の暴走を放置すれば、ことは北朝鮮という一核保有小国の脅威を超える。つまり、大国日本自身の核武装化によって、東アジアの緊張状態が極度に高まることをも覚悟せねばならぬかもしれないということになる。
もちろん、日本国民の大多数は自国の核武装には反対であるから、直ぐには日本政府も核武装に踏み切ることはない。だが、その裏で有力政治家から「核」関連発言が出ていることにも注意すべきである。その上、日本は資金力のみならず、潜在的に核やミサイルに関する科学技術力もそれらの製造に要する精密機械装置やプルトニウムも多数保有する。
といって、一部反核勢力による「全原発即時廃止」を支持するものではない。なぜなら、日本が平和利用目的の原発を抱えているからこそ、その潜在能力を具現化させかねない冒険主義を周辺国も控えてきたからである。
結論を言えば、日本をして自ら好んでいない方向に向かわせないためには、日本への核脅威等を取り除くことが肝要である。逆に、そうした脅威さえ取り除けば、日本の大多数の良識派が核開発への誘惑を打ち負かそう。すなわち、米国のみならず中国・ロシアなどの周辺核大国も、日本の核武装化という最悪のリスクを避けるために、日本へ過大な圧力をかけることを控えるだけではなく、北朝鮮の蛮勇を何としてでも押し止めるべきなのだ。
ただし、そう我々が主張する前提として、日本国民自身、いつまでも「軍部への責任転嫁」で甘えておらず、ナチスを処断することによって周辺国と融和したドイツ国民同様、戦前の自国民による蛮行への反省が求められるのだが。
（筆者は埼玉大学名誉教授。）
その背景には、北朝鮮の長距離ミサイル発射や中国による領海侵犯など、周辺国との緊張関係の高まりがあった。こうした対日プレッシャーがかえって右傾化勢力を台頭させるとは、当の周辺国にとっても思惑違いだっただろう。また、同盟国アメリカや他のアジア各国も、永年友好関係にあった自公政権の復帰は望ましいが、あまり過激な変化は好ましくないにちがいない。
そこで明らかになったのが「そもそも外国人のみならず当の日本人自身が、日本人の民族性というものを正確に理解していない」という事実である。
本来、日本人は和辻哲郎の言う「台風」型風土に根付く「忍従」と「飛躍」という二つの性格を有し、平時は総じて「大人しい」が、一たび激すると「暴走しやすい」という相反する二面性を有する。それが欧米列強により開国を強いられた幕末から戦前にかけては急速な近代化・軍事国家化へと進ませ、戦後長らく続いた和平の下では聖徳太子以来の「和をもって尊し」とする平和志向として発露した源泉である。
そこに、被占領を経て高度成長から今日に至る過程で、さらに幾つかの要因が働きかけて現代日本人の極めて複雑な心理状態が作られた。
その一つが、占領軍の統治方針として何事も「軍部の責任」とされ、日本国民もそれにより自らの贖罪が済んだと錯覚したことである。例えば、かつて自国より長い歴史のある中国や朝鮮・韓国の文化を毀損したのは軍部のみならず大日本帝国国民一般だったのに、現代日本人の多くはそうと知覚していない。
今一つが、米国が植えつけた民主主義と市場経済により今日の繁栄を収めたことである。このため、それらをもたらしてくれた米国への畏敬の念が一部で無批判に育まれてきた。
ところが、経済的にゆとりが生じ社会が成熟すると、自己反省なきまま、米国のオーバープレゼンスへの反発、戦勝国の戦後ルール押し付けへの憤懣、行きすぎた市場経済主義に対する批判などが一挙に顕在化することとなった。
一方、日本は唯一の被爆国として「核廃絶」を国是とし「非核三原則」を謳っているため、外からの脅威に対して最も有効な自衛手段である核武装の権利を、自らその能力が十分あるにもかかわらず放棄した。ゆえに今日、北朝鮮の核ミサイル装備によって一億二千万国民全員が北朝鮮の人質状態に陥っている。いわば拉致問題は単に同胞への人権侵害ではなく、自分たち全員が同じ境遇に置かれているという潜在的な強いストレスなのだ。なお、今や日本人の「米国の核の傘」への信頼は、米国のこれまでの北朝鮮への対応の温さからして冷戦下ほどには高くない。
そうした複雑な日本人の心理と諸般の条件が折り重なり、北朝鮮による長距離ミサイル発射という直接的な脅威とそれとは次元の異なる拉致問題とを同列に扱うという、他国から見ると一見奇妙な態度を日本人が取るようになり、かつ、今日の右傾化を招いた。
となると、国際社会が正しく認識すべきは、北朝鮮の暴走を放置すれば、ことは北朝鮮という一核保有小国の脅威を超える。つまり、大国日本自身の核武装化によって、東アジアの緊張状態が極度に高まることをも覚悟せねばならぬかもしれないということになる。
もちろん、日本国民の大多数は自国の核武装には反対であるから、直ぐには日本政府も核武装に踏み切ることはない。だが、その裏で有力政治家から「核」関連発言が出ていることにも注意すべきである。その上、日本は資金力のみならず、潜在的に核やミサイルに関する科学技術力もそれらの製造に要する精密機械装置やプルトニウムも多数保有する。
といって、一部反核勢力による「全原発即時廃止」を支持するものではない。なぜなら、日本が平和利用目的の原発を抱えているからこそ、その潜在能力を具現化させかねない冒険主義を周辺国も控えてきたからである。
結論を言えば、日本をして自ら好んでいない方向に向かわせないためには、日本への核脅威等を取り除くことが肝要である。逆に、そうした脅威さえ取り除けば、日本の大多数の良識派が核開発への誘惑を打ち負かそう。すなわち、米国のみならず中国・ロシアなどの周辺核大国も、日本の核武装化という最悪のリスクを避けるために、日本へ過大な圧力をかけることを控えるだけではなく、北朝鮮の蛮勇を何としてでも押し止めるべきなのだ。
ただし、そう我々が主張する前提として、日本国民自身、いつまでも「軍部への責任転嫁」で甘えておらず、ナチスを処断することによって周辺国と融和したドイツ国民同様、戦前の自国民による蛮行への反省が求められるのだが。
（筆者は埼玉大学名誉教授。）
一般社団法人 日本英語交流連盟