Introduce Japan's position in the world

Why is Japan's political position in the world inferior to that of Germany?

● In recent years, the conflict between Japan and its Asian neighbors due to historical issues has been the most intense. If this continues, cooperation in East Asia will be damaged. The experience of Germany tells us that Japan has the biggest loss.

Comparing Germany, we can see that whether Japan can become a normal country depends not only on its economic, military and scientific strength, but also on whether it can treat history correctly.

Recently, Japan has been in an unprecedented passive position on historical issues. Because of the issue of "comfort women", the Foreign Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives joined the condemnation of Japan, which led the world media to criticize Japan's attitude towards history, which was obviously unexpected by the Japanese elite. In recent years, the conflict between Japan and its Asian neighbors due to historical issues is the most intense. The serious opposition between the two sides has attracted the attention of the world, making the impact of this conflict gradually go out of East Asia and begin to have global significance. In this way, East Asian cooperation will be damaged, but the biggest loss is definitely Japan. The contrast between Japan and Germany is clear at a glance.

Germany launched two major wars of aggression in the last century, which was the source of two world wars. In World War II, Nazi Germany committed all kinds of evils, and the massacres in Auschwitz concentration camp and other places were appalling. After World War II, European people generally felt bad about Germany's leading role. When Germany was just unified, some Europeans also had many worries. However, Germany's reflection on Nazi crimes in World War II dispelled many people's concerns. In fact, Germany has never lacked extreme right forces, and European countries are also highly vigilant against neo-Nazi activities. However, the German government is determined to draw a clear line with the extreme right-wingers and neo-Nazi ideological trends. Successive leaders are staunch pacifists, do not hide Germany's disgraceful past, and resolutely stand in the same camp with the mainstream of European society. Their behavior greatly influenced the German people and suppressed the neo-Nazi trend of thought. Since the 1990s, every social stratum in Germany has held commemorative activities in the former sites, museums and cemeteries of concentration camps of western allied forces and Soviet troops every year. On the issue of war compensation, the German government also took a clear attitude and paid huge compensation to Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and other injured countries and the victimized Jewish nation.

After 60 years of national apology, introspection and compensation, Germany finally regained the respect of the world with a highly responsible attitude towards history, gained the acceptance and trust of the international community, and its international status became increasingly important. Today's Germany has turned the burden of history into a driving force for progress. In Europe, integration is the most concerned issue, and Germany has always been regarded as "the axis of Europe" and "one of the twin locomotives of European integration". France, Poland, Czech Republic and other former competitors are all working with Germany to promote the process of European integration. In the world, Germany is regarded as a "responsible moral power". In the mediation of the crisis in the former Yugoslavia and the Middle East, Germany has a heavy weight. When Germany appeared on the political stage, few people associated it with Nazi Germany, and they were basically assured of its role in the periphery and the world.

In contrast, Japan is another scene. There are some far-right elements in Japan. In fact, such people can be found in any country in the world. This is not surprising. However, many politicians in Japan are not clear-cut and dare not offend those right-wingers. Sometimes they even use these people to win votes. Some Japanese politicians' statements on historical issues are secretive and their tone often changes. They also apologized for the crimes in the war, but the voice of the Japanese right wing asking them to "correct" the apology seems to be higher. Generally speaking, the Japanese government's apology is far-fetched, and it is completely different from Germany's grief. Germany took the initiative to apologize, and Japan was chased by Asian countries for an apology. The settlement of grievances around Germany is completely different from that around Japan.

Objectively speaking, Japan's economic strength ranks second in the world and is the most developed country in Asia. Through intergovernmental assistance, Japan has also played an active role in the international community. Neighboring countries should have understood its appeal to become a normal country. However, Japan itself has not done well, and historical issues have hurt its feelings and trust with its neighbors. Japan is betting on the United States, trying to enhance its influence in Asia with the help of external forces. This practice is at least not as smart as Germany's good relations with its neighbors. How can a country build its own moral attraction in the world amid the accusations of all its neighbors? How do you project your political influence to the world outside your neighboring countries?

Japan must truly reconcile with the Asian countries it has invaded, which is the most important step towards becoming a political power. Starting with historical issues is the most effective and easy to get immediate results. Japanese often think that neighboring countries do not cooperate on historical issues, and even complain that neighboring countries regard it as a tool for political suppression of Japan. But the fact is that it is Japanese right-wing politicians and scholars who demand "revision" of history and constantly make "new discoveries". Japanese politicians should appeal to and guide the Japanese people to realize that whoever picks things up on historical issues and stimulates neighboring countries is harming Japan. Because of the dispute over historical issues, Japan will never win. As Mike Honda, a Japanese-American Congressman who pushed Congress to pass a resolution condemning Japan's forced recruitment of comfort women, said: "Japan can only improve its status as a liberal and democratic country if it formally apologizes for its past mistakes." And the actual situation is indeed the case. After several years of tossing, Japan is so-called "getting darker and darker" on historical issues.

In recent years, due to the rapid development of China and India, there is a great sense of crisis in Japan. But in fact, Japan's hard power is still the strongest in Asia. Japan's high-tech and management experience is also an example in the world. In other words, hard power will not prevent Japan from becoming a political power. Comparing with Germany, we can see that whether Japan can become a normal country depends not only on how strong its economic, military and scientific and technological strength is and how much assistance it can provide to developing countries, but also on whether it can treat history correctly. What Japan urgently needs now is the trust of Asian countries. In fact, after Prime Minister Abe took office last year, every goodwill shown by the Japanese government immediately received positive responses from neighboring countries. This reflects that the external conditions for Japan to improve its relations with neighboring countries are quite sufficient. The key lies in whether Japan can reach an understanding of the importance of its relations with neighboring countries, especially how to deal with sensitive historical issues. Japan should thoroughly understand the issue of comfort women. If Japan wants to bypass historical issues and find another way, it is definitely the wrong way. (Xie Rongbin is the editor of this newspaper. )