Comments on: As Abe settles in, the High Road seems to be the path to a Beautiful Japan http://www.transpacificradio.com/2006/10/16/as-abe-settles-in-the-high-road-seems-to-be-the-path-to-a-beautiful-japan/ Independent Podcasting from Tokyo. Featuring Seijigiri, a discussion of Japanese news and politics, as well as TPR News, our twice a week look at Japan's top stories. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:48:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Staunton News Leader http://www.transpacificradio.com/2006/10/16/as-abe-settles-in-the-high-road-seems-to-be-the-path-to-a-beautiful-japan/#comment-344 Sun, 29 Oct 2006 13:30:49 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2006/10/16/as-abe-settles-in-the-high-road-seems-to-be-the-path-to-a-beautiful-japan/#comment-344 <strong>As Abe settles in the High Road seems to be the path to a ...</strong> China and Japan need to act on North Korea sanctions. Being two major powers in the area, Japan and China need to take some sort of action. North Korea threatens war if sanctions are brought upon them. It seems their nuclear strategy is working. No one... As Abe settles in the High Road seems to be the path to a …

China and Japan need to act on North Korea sanctions. Being two major powers in the area, Japan and China need to take some sort of action. North Korea threatens war if sanctions are brought upon them. It seems their nuclear strategy is working. No one…

]]> by: Garrett http://www.transpacificradio.com/2006/10/16/as-abe-settles-in-the-high-road-seems-to-be-the-path-to-a-beautiful-japan/#comment-195 Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:33:32 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2006/10/16/as-abe-settles-in-the-high-road-seems-to-be-the-path-to-a-beautiful-japan/#comment-195 Ken, I feel obligated to argue here, but I agree with you. I'll add only that I think Japan's willingness to get out ahead on this provided a public ally speaking as strongly the US enabled the US to get more of what they wanted. In this respect, Japan's assertive stance was important. Ken, I feel obligated to argue here, but I agree with you. I’ll add only that I think Japan’s willingness to get out ahead on this provided a public ally speaking as strongly the US enabled the US to get more of what they wanted. In this respect, Japan’s assertive stance was important.

]]> by: ken http://www.transpacificradio.com/2006/10/16/as-abe-settles-in-the-high-road-seems-to-be-the-path-to-a-beautiful-japan/#comment-172 Mon, 16 Oct 2006 15:52:24 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2006/10/16/as-abe-settles-in-the-high-road-seems-to-be-the-path-to-a-beautiful-japan/#comment-172 It's late, and this may not turn out to be the well-reasoned masterpiece I intend it to be, but I'll bite. Abe took his hard stance on North Korea by getting the Diet to impose sanctions before the UN. Japan also imposed harsher sanctions than the UN. Right wing happy. However, there are members of the Japanese media, <a href="http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20061016kn.html" target="_target" rel="nofollow">Keizo Nabeshima among them</a>, claiming that the UN sanctions showed that Abe/Japan could cooperate with China and South Korea. I'm not buying this line for a second. In political reality, Abe can't have it both ways - at least not for the tenure of his position. He's not going to be able to simultaneously keep the right wing and China and South Korea happy on every issue. No way. The honeymoon's almost over - he will be forced to choose between them. And I don't think Japan had all that much to do with the UN sanctions. The impression coming from NY is that the US hammered these out as tough as they could, yielding to Chinese and Russian objections to the use of military force. Japan could not push on this issue, for the sake of regional security. We all know that the SDF is a misnomer, that they are one of the heaviest-funded military operations in the world - but that doesn't mean Japan can flaunt it at the moment. I think Kenzo Oshima's an intelligent man and praiseworthy president of the security council. Do I beleive he (or those in Japan on the phone with him) played much role in hammering out the nuts and bolts of the sanctions? No way. But Abe will get as much credit as the press gives him, which is as much as his Press Relations people feed the press, which will go published unquestioned. It’s late, and this may not turn out to be the well-reasoned masterpiece I intend it to be, but I’ll bite.

Abe took his hard stance on North Korea by getting the Diet to impose sanctions before the UN. Japan also imposed harsher sanctions than the UN. Right wing happy.

However, there are members of the Japanese media, Keizo Nabeshima among them, claiming that the UN sanctions showed that Abe/Japan could cooperate with China and South Korea.

I’m not buying this line for a second. In political reality, Abe can’t have it both ways - at least not for the tenure of his position. He’s not going to be able to simultaneously keep the right wing and China and South Korea happy on every issue. No way. The honeymoon’s almost over - he will be forced to choose between them.

And I don’t think Japan had all that much to do with the UN sanctions. The impression coming from NY is that the US hammered these out as tough as they could, yielding to Chinese and Russian objections to the use of military force. Japan could not push on this issue, for the sake of regional security. We all know that the SDF is a misnomer, that they are one of the heaviest-funded military operations in the world - but that doesn’t mean Japan can flaunt it at the moment. I think Kenzo Oshima’s an intelligent man and praiseworthy president of the security council. Do I beleive he (or those in Japan on the phone with him) played much role in hammering out the nuts and bolts of the sanctions? No way.

But Abe will get as much credit as the press gives him, which is as much as his Press Relations people feed the press, which will go published unquestioned.

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