Japan's ultranationalism fever

[best2002]

Recently, ultranationalism fever is spreading in Japan. Japan is ignoring values a member of international community must adhere to, and is only putting nationalistic sentiments as their priority. And at the center of this nationalism are Japanese politicians.

The politicians are claiming that Dokdo, a land Korea has effective control over, is their territory, and have nationalized Senkaku islands, a territory disputed with China. This resulted in criticism both among international community and domestic citizens. In order to overcome this criticism, Japanese politicians are using nationalistic sentiments. Moreover, they are trying to gain popularity through this nationalistic propagandas for the upcoming elections.

Currently, diplomatic issues between the three East Asian countries, Korea, China, and Japan is deteriorating. China, especially, is on the verge of military actions if Japan's provocations of nationalizing really the Senkaku islands takes real effect. I am worried that Asia might be going backwards and heading for a situation similar to that of 20 years before the Cold War.

[JVS]

1. Ok. Thanks for the update.

[Prometheus Bound]

2. Why do I get the feeling that this is all a ploy to take attention away from their failing economies

At least on the part of China and Japan.

[Art_from_Ark]

5. The Senkaku Islands controversy is about potential gas fields

It's not to divert attention away from a bad economy, in Japan at least.

[Prometheus Bound]

7. Yeah, but the timing is rather interesting, don't you think?

Today it was reported in the South China Morning Post that Dongguan (pop 8m+), one of China's richest cities and one of the world's most important high-technology manufacturing centers, was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Things are swiftly falling apart in both countries.

[Art_from_Ark]

8. But here in Japan, there is not a lot of ultranationalism about the islands

A recent demonstration by the nationalistic political organization, Ganbare Nippon, for example, was able to attract only about 1500 participants to its Senkaku demonstration, while anti-nuclear protests attract tens of thousands. And Japanese TV is not going on and on about how the islands are Japan's. However, there has been a lot of recent controversy about development of undersea gas fields in areas along the Sino-Japanese maritime border near the Senkakus, and at least one of the Japanese government ministries issued a report about the potential for natural gas fields in the Senkakus as well.

[JoeyT]

3. Decided to see if there was a link to this article.

Mostly because it sounds an awful lot like a press release from a Chinese news source. Google brings up exactly one match: http://hangukstory.blogspot.com/

Just so people know how big a grain of salt to take this with, I'll post an excerpt from another entry at the same source.

Although this is not true, it almost seems that it is in the blood of Japan to insult and destroys the values important to others. If they feel that their country is valuable, they should admit the values of other nations.

A much more neutral version of the events surrounding the islands can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11341139

[Art_from_Ark]

6. I actually think the person who wrote the OP is Korean

since the Senkaku Islands are referred to by their Japanese (rather than Chinese) name, but Dokdo is referred to by its Korean name, rather than its Japanese name of Takeshima.

[JoeyT]

16. Yeah, I think you're right.

I was just objecting to the overly harsh and wildly biased criticism of Japan.

If anyone ever finds a country that doesn't have an ultra-nationalist element, I want to know because I'd love to live there. Every country in the world has them, as far as I can tell. I pretty much agree with your post #4 as to whether this is being caused by Japan being ultra-nationalistic.

[Art_from_Ark]

4. By those standards, China and Korea also have ultranationalistic fever

China is the worst by far because it has resulted in violence against Japanese companies, people and institutions in China.
The Senkaku Islands were officially recognized as Japanese territory by the 1951 San Francisco Treaty. They were administered as part of the Ryukyus by the United States until they were returned to Japan in 1972.

Dokdo/Takeshima Island is a little more tricky. The Portsmouth Treaty of 1905 recognized Japanese sovereignty over the island. However, the President of South Korea recently made an unofficial visit to the island, and Korean kids are taught at an early age to insist that the island is theirs. One Korean teacher who was interviewed by a Japanese news crew who filmed a class devoted entirely to this island, stated that it was her "sacred duty" as a teacher that if her kids learned nothing else from her, they should at least learn that Dokdo/Takeshima is Korean. That sounds like ultranationalism to me.

[Democat]

9. Japan-bashing

Korean, Chinese, and Japanese nationalists are always fighting with each other.

[Suji to Seoul]

10. Yep. I lived in Nanjing, home of the Rape of Nanking. The Chinese are just itching for a chance at

payback.

[Shankapotomus]

12. That is the danger of learning negative history

in the present. It makes people feel angry now and that they are living something that happened 60 years in the past. It raises up animosity. The Japan of today is very different than the Japan of 60 years ago. Yet people are being angry about the Japan of 60 years ago as if it existed today. Insanity.

[Suji to Seoul]

15. Actually, the everyday Chinese person is more angry at Japan's revisionism and denials

than the acts committed. If they would accept their responsibility and genuinely atone, the Chinese people are a forgiving bunch.

Hell, they forgave the British for the Opium Wars and the devastation that caused China.

[tclambert]

11. Why am I thinking, "Here we go again."?

Oh, well, the last time Japan went through an ultranationalist phase, nothing bad happened. It's not like anybody ended up dropping atom bombs on anybody, or anything.

We'll meet again some sunny day.

[xchrom]

13. Japan and China trade barbs over islands at UN

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19754353

A war of words over islands claimed by both Japan and China continued at the United Nations, as the US called for cooler heads to prevail.

In a speech, China's foreign minister accused Japan of stealing the islands, which lie in the East China Sea.

In reply Japan's deputy ambassador said the islands were Japanese territory and China's claim a recent development.

The US secretary of state had earlier urged both to "engage in dialogue to calm the waters", a diplomat said.

[oldsarge54]

14. Actually

This is a worldwide problem reflecting the insanity of the 30s. Bad economic times seem to encourage unthinking nationalism, even here in the US.

[mick063]

17. The demand for natural resources

from a growing world population.


The fight for such resources is inevitable and will continuously escalate. The Middle East, The Russian pipeline through Georgia, etc., etc.

This goes far beyond Asia.

[Cali_Democrat]

18. Cool story, bro