July 8 marked the one-year anniversary of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe’s death. Ceremonies were held to commemorate him, while his widow, Akie Abe, is to visit Taiwan tomorrow. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that Abe was the Japanese prime minister the Taiwanese held dearest. Most Taiwanese believe that Abe always had their country in his heart. His kindness to Taiwan was not only sincere, it was timely. Whenever Taiwan was in trouble, Abe offered his help.
Taiwanese remember what it was like during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of vaccines made the situation in Taiwan worse, and Abe urged Japan to donate millions of vaccines to the nation. When huge earthquakes struck Taiwan, Abe wrote “Taiwan Don’t Give Up” to cheer Taiwanese up. When Taiwan’s pineapples were banned from being exported to China, he took a photo with Taiwanese pineapples and uploaded it to social media, smiling radiantly and showering praises on the fruit. When the nation was bullied by its hostile neighbor, he said: “A Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency, and therefore an emergency for the Japan-US alliance.”
Abe always offered his strong support when Taiwan was fighting against China. He had long been aware of China’s ambition and urged the world to be on the alert. He advocated creating an “Arc of Freedom and Prosperity,” which would unite the US, India and Australia to deal with the Chinese government. He also proposed a quadrilateral format to facilitate discussion on regional safety, and a free and open Indo-Pacific. Taiwan had been a part of Abe’s political vision and strategic planning. After he stepped down, Abe’s support for Taiwan grew even stronger. He urged the US to learn from the Russia-Ukraine war, indicating that Washington should modify its policy of strategic ambiguity. Abe wanted the US to declare that if China invaded Taiwan, the US would come to the nation’s aid.
Many of Abe’s political, economic and diplomatic legacies are related to Taiwan. The most fundamental of all is Abe’s relationship with former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝). Abe was grateful for how inspirational Lee was for Japanese. Two years ago, former Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori visited Taiwan to pay tribute to Lee, and he expressed a similar gratitude. Mori said that, after the end of World War II, Japan was defeated and lost its confidence. He said that Lee wanted Japanese to be proud of themselves and develop their own country, so that they could enjoy freedom, democracy and a stable economy.
Abe contributed to Japan’s foreign policy by promoting “Abeism,” which involves that countries with the same values should establish stronger diplomatic relations through economic collaboration, security networks and military ties. After the US withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Abe started working on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Taiwan applied to be a member. Thanks to Abe, Taiwan and Japan have been engaging intimately with one another, and this is the foundation for the Taiwan-Japan alignment.
A year ago, when Abe was assassinated during a campaign event, the world was shocked. In Taiwan, flags at governmental agencies and public schools were lowered to half-mast. Many Taiwanese brought flowers to the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association in Taipei and Kaohsiung to show their respect. Concerts and memorials were held, and bronze statues were made to remember Abe. Moreover, 175 Taiwanese corporations, groups and individuals purchased a two-page advertisement in Japan’s Sankei Shimbun to pay tribute to him.
Abe devoted himself to strengthening the ties between Taiwan and Japan, and his work has been carried on. Last week, a delegation of Japanese lawmakers led by former Japanese minister of foreign affairs Seiji Maehara visited Taiwan. The group included 11 lawmakers from the Constitutional Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) and the Democratic Party for the People. This was a landmark move in the history of Japan’s non-ruling parties. Maehara said that the Japanese government today has different thoughts on foreign policy and security. Japan would support Taiwan’s claim to maintain the status quo and oppose any use of military force to unilaterally change the current situation. Maehara said that he looks forward to further consolidating the Japan-Taiwan relationship based on shared values. Late last month, Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) visited Japan, the first vice premier visiting Japan in almost three decades. For years, Taiwan and Japan have been closely collaborating with one another in technology, trade, industry, tourism and other aspects.
Soon, Japan and Taiwan are to continue these collaborations. Japan has supported Taiwan to join the CPTPP, which is similar to how Taiwan and the US have negotiated on the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade. The main purpose is to work together in the semiconductor, green energy and low-carbon-emission industries, and to ensure the two nations’ security to curb China’s aggression.
Negotiating a free-trade agreement or multilateral agreement such as the CPTPP would optimize the overall economic profit that would outweigh losses in the long run. The process involves trade-offs. The negotiation must comply with international regulations and scientific standards. The irrational interferences from domestic politics should be moderately excluded. For 11 years, Taiwan had bannned food products from five Japanese prefectures after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster. This is an example of how domestic political affairs are valued more than scientific principles and international conduct.
However, for Taiwan and Japan to get closer, Japan has to consider Beijing’s reactions. China is the main market for many Japanese companies, and quite a few Japanese politicians are pro-China. We must know that Japan has invested in China with techniques and talent, as well as providing Official Development Assistance for 40 years, and helped China become the world’s second-largest economy, but China did not help Japan rid itself from its “lost 30 years.” Instead, China’s rise as a military power has brought about security threats in the East China Sea. Former US president Donald Trump ended his predecessor Richard Nixon’s China policy, and incumbent US President Joe Biden has followed Trump’s decision. Now, that sentiment has become a consensus in the US and Japan.
Last week, Chinese Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director Wang Yi (王毅) said that China, Japan and South Korea are neighbors who would keep living side by side. He said that everyone should remember their own roots, and that no one would become a Westerner with some superficial changes of one’s hair or nose.
Wang’s remark has caused an uproar in the international community. It reflected China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy, as well as how the Chinese government has become anxious about the US-Japan-South Korea alliance. Public opinion polls show that nearly 90 percent of Japanese have an unfavorable impression of China, and Wang’s comments and behaviors would help bring about an anti-China consensus in Japan. Taiwan should seize this opportunity and make the most of it.
Translated by Emma Liu
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