Recent political and domestic developments have encouraged speculation that Japan is using the military to assume a higher international profile. The dispatch of Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force fueling ships to assist the US in the Persian Gulf and the recent Japanese Cabinet decision to extend logistic support for the US war on Afghanistan until May 19, 2003 seem to suggest that Japan is becoming a more "normal" country through the use of its military. This reasoning is further supported by the Japanese public's call for the country to more clearly articulate its national interest. Japan's new tough line against North Korea is one piece of the "evidence" for this claim. If Japan is indeed becoming more willing to speak out and act on behalf of its national interest, then it is a becoming a normal nation. However, these steps toward normalcy are impeded by a fundamental obstacle -- naivety.
The Japanese people are not ready to pursue the national interest if it will result in bloodshed.
ILLUSTATION: MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
Expanding military roles overseas -- either through UN forces or in alliance with the US -- for the sake of becoming a "normal country" ultimately means Japanese soldiers will fight -- and die -- for the country's national interest. However, the Japanese public seems incapable of dealing with the consequences of such a sacrifice. When UN volunteer Nakata Atsuhito, a member of the UN Transition Authority in Cambodia, was shot by guerillas in Cambodia in April 8, 1993, the entire nation wept.
Similarly the North Korean abductees issue has triggered an emotional reaction. The Japanese public has focused on the fate of 13 people to the virtual exclusion of North Korea's nuclear or weapons of mass destruction capability. These international concerns were given virtually no attention in the Japanese media's reports on the abductees. Personal stories overwhelmed discussion of the issue from the broader perspective of national interest.
Weighing national interests against the cost of blood is never easy.
Every society treasures the lives of its young soldiers and does not want to send them to die. The shrinking family size in industrialized societies make their governments even more reluctant to sacrifice its youth.
Prospect of casualties has significant impact on military policy planning. The US was reluctant to send ground troops into Bosnia and Afghanistan, instead air strikes were used to minimize causalities. The deaths of less than two dozens US soldiers were enough for the US to pull troops from Somalia. A key question hanging over any attack on Iraq has been and continues to be: "Is getting rid of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein worth our people's lives?"
The pursuit of national interest through military forces test Japan's democracy. It requires the Japanese public to focus on the national interest when setting national objectives and weigh them against the human costs when making a policy decision. The Japanese people need to realize the possible consequences of such decisions and take responsibility for them.
The democracy that gives the Japanese government permission to expand its military role means the public cannot blame anyone else for an unexpected and unfortunate outcome but themselves. Japanese citizens would be responsible for the actions taken by Japanese soldiers if the public allows them to go to war. Neither the Japanese emperor nor generals could be held responsible as in World War II.
With Japanese nationalism on the rise, it might be natural for some Japanese to call on the armed forces to play a more active role in Japanese foreign policy. If this call is just an expression of nationalism, the Japanese people need to rethink and find more creative options for expanding the country's international presence before concluding that the military strength is best. For example, pacifism still can be a source of national pride rather than an obstacle of it.
By enhancing its diplomatic ability and its defense capability, Japan could take pride in its continuing renunciation of the concept that nations have the right to wage aggressive wars. Also, Japan's role in nuclear non-proliferation can be promoted. The test case is North Korea and the PRC. Japan should pursue nuclear non-proliferation policy possibly using foreign aid.
Japan has a right to play a military role -- subject to constitutional and international legal constraints -- but clearly Japan is not ready to take such a step.
Nakagawa Yumiko is a Vasey Fellow at Pacific Forum CSIS, a Honolulu-based think tank.
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