Abe’s Yasukuni visit reeks of opportunism

Source:Global Times Published: 2012-10-18 0:30:04

Shinzo Abe, the chief of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, visited the Yasukuni Shrine yesterday afternoon. He expressed regret that he hadn't visited the Shrine when he was the prime minister of Japan. Japanese media outlets speculated that he would visit the shrine as prime minister if he is reelected.

Shinzo Abe is among those Japanese politicians who leap forward when they see an opportunity, and shrink back when they face pressure. He has faced many uncertainties during his political career.

Before being the Prime Minister, he was a typical hawkish politician. But after succeeding Junichiro Koizumi, he came to China to break the ice. He took the lead in halting visits to the Yasukuni Shrine at that time.

However, his views have now changed. He is a textbook opportunist politician produced by an election culture.

The change in his attitude has reflected a shift to the right in Japanese society.

According to some analysts, his reelection may bring back the risks associated with the Yasukuni Shrine to Sino-Japanese relations.

This is not a terrible thing for China. China and Japan have already had fiery struggles over the Yasukuni Shrine. Japan was the defeated party at that time. Present day China is stronger and more mature than it was. Japan has absolutely no hope of turning the tables.

The rightward tilt of Japanese politics may continue. However, it will bring more threats to Japan itself than to China. A more aggressive Japan will be more isolated in Northeast Asia while China will lose nothing in this situation.

The invasions Japan inflicted upon other Asian countries are something that won't be forgotten. Historical debates are things Japan will never win. The war criminals whose memorial tablets were placed in the Yasukuni Shrine were notorious in other countries. Linking the country to them will only place Japan in a bad light.

A resurgence in Japanese politicians visiting the Yasukuni Shrine will provoke a reaction from China. And we are already very familiar with what the scale of these countermeasures would be. Chinese society is unanimous when it comes to punishing Japan over historical issues.

China is willing to develop friendly ties with Japan, but a confrontation doesn't necessarily bring disadvantages to China.

Competition with Japan unites the Chinese public every time. If China must have a clash with a country, Japan appears the most likely. Beijing now has the upper hand in the tussle with Japan. Whether bilateral ties worsen or improve means less to China than it means to Japan. Tokyo is heavily reliant upon trade with its neighbor, and it suffers from serious diplomatic isolation in Northeast Asia.

Shinzo Abe may think he is creating a big fuss, but actually he is making little change to Sino-Japanese strategic ties.



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