Japan 'should apologize to other Asian countries'

Q: The Abe administration wants a greater presence for Japan on the world stage. What role do you expect Japan to play?

A: Japan needs to provide US military bases under the Japan-US Security Treaty. In return, the US will protect Japan from attacks. Japan will assume more responsibilities on the military front if the security treaty expands the scope of activities. This goes against Japan's pacifist Constitution. If the country always maps out its future strategies based on assumptions that it would be attacked or invaded, it had better think about how to prevent the attacks and invasions. The latter should be Japan's priority.

Q: Then, what should be done to create a peaceful environment?

A: If Japan continues to uphold pacifism — sending no soldiers abroad — which country will invade it? There is the hype around the Diaoyu Islands. Will China invade Japan over these islands? It is scarcely thinkable. If Japan stubbornly assumes foreign invasions and responds, other countries will adjust their policies accordingly. As a result, the situation will be more volatile. ... If Japan sticks to its defense-only policy and sends a signal that it does not need war, other countries will not pose a threat to it. Hence, keeping the pacifist constitution intact is of paramount importance.

Q: Is Article 9 of Japan's Constitution (which forbids making war as a means of resolving disputs) behind the times?

A: This territorial dispute has been mentioned frequently in the Japanese government's public relations campaign. It has led to a sense of crisis among people in Japan. As a result, they are beginning to think about whether the Constitution should be rewritten.

China has a vast territory with a long border, which it needs to defend. Consequently, China has to have a kind of military power for self-defense rather than war.

The sense of crisis among people in Japan has helped the Japanese government solicit a lot of support for constitutional amendment. This is what we need to campaign against.

Q: This will be a painstaking fight, won't it?

A: If there was a permanent sense of crisis, (China and Japan) would be increasingly on the alert, ratchet up the tension and go for war. No one would win. The Abe administration wants to rewrite the Constitution by fueling anxiety among the Japanese people. At this point, I am against Abe. It is important to reduce the sense of crisis and antagonism in the two countries. If possible, I want to visit China to talk about this issue.

Q: The Abe administration has moved Japan closer to the United States. What do you think of Japan-US relations?

A: Japan and the US have developed their relationship based on mutual cooperation since Japan was defeated 70 years ago. Things have changed. Japan is a sovereign nation different from the one occupied (by US-led Allied troops). Japan needs to have its voice heard in these ties, and the US needs to listen more carefully to voices from Japan. Bilateral relations need to be improved in this regard.

Q: Tokyo, in one way or another, dances to Washington's tune. Take the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Can we see that Japan is taking a realistic approach by compromising equality for military protection from the US?

A: Japan needs to change its relations with the US radically. In terms of the AIIB, the two countries, which are not currently joining the bank under the pretext of boycotting China's "oligarchical-style of control", will join sooner or later. Asia's development, which has made headway, needs a lot of funding. So the AIIB is a good idea.