How worried are Japanese about the rise of China? Hiroshi Kawamoto form Japan’s Isen Shimbun, after closely examining what he considers the calamitous decade of U.S. behavior since 9-11, warns that closer ties to America is the only strategy that has any hope of preserving Japanese prosperity.
For Japan’s Isen Shimbun, Hiroshi Kawamoto writes in part:
Trying to return to the United States of the 20th century – the U.S. that prevailed in the fight against the Soviet Union and which exerted itself spreading its own brand of democracy throughout the world – is a pipe dream.
U.S. people believe that making the American lifestyle possible is good for all. That also extends to religion. Many Americans identify themselves as Christians, but the world is a large and diverse place. In addition to Christianity, there are a great number of other religions, such as Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, etc., each with its own unique way of life and culture. War and endless conflict have begun as a result of the differences among these varying religious sects. First and foremost, as the world leader, America should have more seriously examined such religious differences.
What the United States wanted to do was mend the wounds caused by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which so monopolized the nation’s prosperity. The U.S. was outraged. And while its intent was to do what was best for the world, the results were less than desirable. Americans did not remain silent. They wanted to know who the mastermind was behind 9/11. Inevitably, they went about locating the leader of the attacks. The U.S. marched with determination into an endless War on Terror. It has been a decade since then. Due to the amount of energy spent on the war, the United States confronted a growing budget deficit and a slowing economy. This crisis continues to this day.
Meanwhile, China is making its presence known. Seeing the Futenma issue and the potential problems it may bring, China has begun to dabble in the contested Senkaku Islands – traditionally Japanese territory. At this rate, the entire South China Sea will become Chinese territory. What our country should do is take another look at this U.S.-Japan alliance. Japan’s future development will be impossible without deepening this relationship.
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