What hide behind Japan's defense white paper?

Edited and Translated by People's Daily Online

2012 is the 40th anniversary of the normalization of the China-Japanese diplomatic relations but the relations have not always been smooth, with conflicts frequently appearing recently. Japan's Defense White Paper 2012 announced on July 31 again took China as the defense priority, propagating the so-called "China threat theory."

Japan's impenitence is the key to affect China-Japan relations. The Defense White Paper 2012 has no new contents but repeats the "China military threat theory." Japan is willful to neglect the over-investment in its national defense, causing the anxiety of its neighboring countries.

From Japan's dealings with the Diaoyu Islands and other issues we can see that some Japanese still regard their neighbors as enemies. In addition to "concern" over the China, Japan also mentioned North Korea enhancing their capability of ballistic missiles in the Defense White Paper, again claiming its sovereignty over the disputed islands with Russia and South Korea. Japan has shown its distrust of surrounding countries in the Defense White Paper, so how can it keep good relations with them?

The Defense White Paper directly linked Japan's security with the U.S.-Japan alliance, exposing Japan's thoughts that it will have nothing to fear if it can rely on the U.S.-Japan alliance and win over South Korea and Australia. Although Japan has been maintaining a consistent strategy with the United States, it is impossible that the United States will stand by Japan and become the enemy of the East Asian countries. Some U.S. analysts said that through stressing the U.S.-Japan alliance, Japan tries to use the United States' return to Asia-Pacific region to realize the goal of an independent military. In this regard, the United States should make early prevention.

At present, Japan has a gloomy economic and financial situation and so rendering the surrounding threats can provide reasons for increase in defense expenditures. The tough talks of the neighbors are more likely to become an excuse for Japan to promote revising the pacifist constitution and achieve a breakthrough in dispatching self-defense forces. Regarding Japan's Defense White Paper, South Korean media outlets said that the Japanese militarism eradicated after the World War II seems to be resurrected, and France and European media commented that the international community needs to prepare for Japan's use of force for defense.

Japan's defense papers in recent years always include the Cold War mentality, the right-wing thought and the mentality of fear of China. China and Japan had gotten along well with each other and they also had warfare and confrontation. Recently, the extreme right-wing ideology of some Japanese right-wingers is very alarming.

It is dangerous to deliberately create tension, the Cold War mentality is intolerable and irresponsible remarks and malicious speculations are not conducive to regional peace and stability. Only keeping good relations with its neighbors and achieving common development is a wise choice.

Source: PLA Daily

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