Japan’s foreign relations: an analysis

Author: Dr Khalil-ur-Rahman Shaikh

Every country has its own foreign policy best suited to its interests. It is governed by the ideology, objectives of a state, internal thinking, culture, and civilisation and the external environment etc. Japan developed its foreign policy from ashes and rose to becoming one of the top countries of the world by having successful foreign policies.

Japan joined the Axis Powers during the World War II. It bombed the US Naval Base on 7th December 1941 at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. On 7th and 9th August 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively. It was the first and up till now, the last nuclear bombardment which targeted populated cities. It compelled Japan to surrender in the interest of its own subjects and in the interest of mankind.    There were several problems faced by Japan after the surrender.

Firstly, Japan was to restore its lost prestige in the international community. Secondly, Japan was to get emancipation from the US occupation. Thirdly, due to surrender, the moral of Japanese nation was low. Thus, confidence was required to be infused in the Japanese nation. Moreover, Japan was completely devastated and rehabilitation was the top priority. It was the only victim of the nuclear catastrophe, thus, Japan decided to save rest of the mankind from the consequences of the nuclear attack. Furthermore, Japan was to restore its economy. This problem was intensive due to lack of natural resources. Lastly, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Japan was threatened due to the World War II. It was required to be restored in the interest of Japan.

The Allied Powers signed the San Francisco Treaty on 8th September 1951. Till the signing of the Treaty, the global political environment had considerably changed. The partners under the flag of Allied Powers in the World War-II ie the United States and the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics had became adversaries. The period of the Cold War had started which divided the world mainly into two blocs ie Communist led by the USSR and the capitalist led by the US.

After one year of the San Francisco Treaty, the U.S and Japan signed ‘Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Treaty’ on 20th March 1952. Article V of the Treaty provided, “Each Party recognises that an armed attack against either Party in the territories under the administration of Japan would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional provisions and processes.” Thus, both the countries became defence allies.

At the time of World War I and World War-II, Japan was running its constitutional business under the Meiji constitution but in 1947, Japan adopted a new constitution that said , “Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as another war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognised”.

Japan renounced its right of maintaining armed forces except for the defence purposes. Japan created Japan Self-Defence Forces. Japan initiated efforts for renouncing nuclear armament all over the world. Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty was signed and Japan adopted a three-pronged nuclear policy which included non-possession, non-production, and non-introduction of the nuclear weapons.

Japan’s external affairs broadly may be divided into four phases. These included cold war period, post-cold war period, War on Terror and Geo-economics period. Japan had to import oil and other natural products as it is deficient in natural resources. It imported the products through the sea, thus, it became imperative for Japan that the warm waters supply routes must be safe and secure. Japan has territorial disputes with China and Russia. The dispute on Sensaku islands is the main divergence between Japan and China and a dispute with Russia on Kurile Islands. Japan controlled the Sensaku Islands during pre-world war II period. Even San Francisco Treaty, signed between the U.S and Japan and other countries in 1951, indicated its attachment to Japan. Soon the islands emerged as a dispute between the two countries when oil reserves were unearthed.

On the other side, the nuclear armament by North Korea remained a constant irritant for Japan. It expressed its concerns on missile program of North Korea. The United States is a defence ally of Japan under the Security Treaty signed in 1952. Japan had felt threatened due to the nuclear and missile policies of North Korea. Moreover, North Korean threats to the US could have motivated and encouraged anti US elements. Thus, the US President Trump gave clear signal that he may walk out from his talks with the President of North Korea if no tangible result comes out.

During the cold war period, Japan felt itself in difficult situation vis-à-vis the United States at least on two occasions. First when the U.S foreign secretary, Henry Kissinger visited China without bringing Japan into confidence in 1971. Secondly, during the Arab-Israel war in 1973.

The U.S wanted to improve its relations with China. Then President of Pakistan General Yahya Khan played role in rapprochement between the two countries. Consequently, Henry Kissinger paid visit to China. Japan, being not on good terms with China, expected that the US would bring it into confidence before making any such move.

The United States supplied weapons and aid to Israel against the Arab countries during the Arab-Israel war in 1973. The Arab oil producing countries imposed complete oil embargo against the U.S and selective sanctions against its allies ie Western Europe and Japan.

Japan relies for about its 80 percent oil requirement on the Persian Gulf countries. The oil embargo increased the price of oil to 12 USD per barrel. In history it is known as the oil shock. It convinced Japan to invest more in electronics industry than the oil industry.  It also convinced Japan to make efforts separately with the Arab countries for improving the situation. Japan had to suffer from this embargo due to its relationship with the United States.

After five years, the United States had to face another biggest and last challenge of the cold war. The USSR invaded Afghanistan and landed its forces in 1979. Anti-USSR countries including Japan joined hands together against the Red invasion. Afghan crisis became a central piece of Japanese Afghan and Soviet policy. Japan expressed manifold reaction against the Soviet adventurism. It voted in favour of the resolution tabled in the Security Council for withdrawal of the Soviet forces from Afghanistan. It also extended aid to Afghan Muhajideen through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Japan has offered to hold an international conference on the Kashmir issue. Pakistan welcomed the offer, whereas India did not give a positive response

Japan was also apprehensive for the security of Pakistan. Later, then Japanese premier, Ohira stated that his government would suspend official dealings with Moscow. Japan’s Afghan policy was determined by some factors. Firstly, Japan avoided engaging with the Soviet Union in direct war. Japan is a peace loving country. It has always strived for maintenance of peace. The Afghan situation put peace of the regions around Afghanistan in jeopardy particularly and threatened global peace generally.

However, Japan-Afghan relations deteriorated during Taliban government when it announced its decision to destroy all ancient un-Islamic heritages including two statues of Buddha in Bumiyan. Buddhism is major religion in Japan. The United Nations condemned the edict of Taliban government on 6th March, 2001. Japanese foreign minister expressed deep concern over the edict and hoped that Taliban would reconsider it and take proper measures for the preservation of cultural heritage. Japan sent a delegation to Afghanistan to discuss the issue with the Taliban government. However, all efforts went in vain and the statues were destroyed.

Since the end of the cold war period, the world has been under continuous process of changes. The concept of New World Order came to public. The Soviet disintegration got the world to realise that Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and conventional and nuclear weapons do not secure the territorial integrity of a country. However, for smaller countries, nuclear armament was still source of balance of power. India undertook atomic explosions which convinced Pakistan that it must go for nuclear option to protect itself from an attack. However, the countries of the world including Japan urged Pakistan to restrain from nuclear explosions.

Both are nuclear countries and if war erupts, any one may use nuclear option as a weapon of last resort. Japan wants to thwart the possibilities of nuclear war in the region of South Asia which has a population of more than 1.5 billion. As the war on terror began after 9/11 attacks, the US decided to destroy hideouts of the terrorists located in Afghanistan. Thus, the US and NATO forces began pouring in Afghanistan under the flag of International Security Assistance Force. Japan also joined the coalition of twenty-seven countries for the War on Terror.

Japan extended the facility of refuelling under Operation Enduring Freedom-Operation Interdict Maritime to the ships of the countries engaged in the war against terrorism in the Indian Ocean. Pakistan again emerged as front-line state in the War on Terror. It brought Pakistan and Japan closer to each other. Japan announced emergent measures for Pakistan. It extended assistance worth of 1.7 billion yen for Afghan refugees in Pakistan and expected to return to their home land in future. Japan was also to provide financial assistance worth of 3 billion yen for assisting Pakistan to come out from its chronic economic difficulties. With the inception of Trump into presidency of the U.S, the relations between Japan and the US seem under strain. Probably Japan has started thinking its relations beyond the US shield.

Japan has begun improving its relations with China. It is due to economic interests. The territorial disputes have lost their importance though not existence as constant irritants in the bilateral relations. The US opposes China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Nonetheless, Japan wants to participate in the initiative but also wants to protect its interest before joining the corridor.

The US is also apprehensive of China’s One Belt One Road plan. In fact it is a revival of land and maritime silk routes which will connect China with major regions of Asia, Africa and Europe. Certainly, it is an economic belt but it has political, strategic, cultural and social implications. Pakistan is nucleus of the corridor. China and Pakistan have invited other countries to participate in it. The Japanese ambassador in Pakistan, Takashi Kurai, in a public talk held at Islamabad Institute of Strategic Studies in November, 2017, made his country’s position on CPEC and stated, “We are not against CPEC, we appreciate this initiative but, at the same time, we believe whatever project is carried out should be based on transparency, openness, accountability. We have made it clear that we may be open to help in furthering this project”.

Japan is a peace loving country. It renounced nuclear armament in the largest interest of the mankind. Japan may play a momentous role for bringing peace to the world.

The writer is an author and has a doctorate in Political Science

Published in Daily Times, May 28th 2018.

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