Japanese media warn of NE Asian tension due to Abe

A major Japanese daily on Thursday said those with a good understanding of Japan are concerned over the election of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as head of the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party, warning of a strengthening of his hawkish diplomacy rather than him focusing on ties with the U.S.

The Yomiuri Shimbun, which represents right-wing conservatives in Japan, reported on Abe’s foreign policy, saying Washington was “very concerned” about instability in Northeast Asia caused by worsening relations with South Korea and China.

Since Abe has a heightened chance of becoming Japan’s next leader, many Japanese media and politicians warn that their country`s diplomacy with Asian neighbors could be disrupted. Regardless of political slant, Japanese media say that if Abe’s harsh rhetoric is implemented, it will ruin Tokyo’s ties with Seoul and Beijing.

The Tokyo Shimbun said no previous election by a Japanese party had seen the rampant use of tough rhetoric as “strengthening the Self-Defense Force” and “exercising collective self-defensive rights Japan.” The daily blamed the phenomenon as a hereditary political succession involving certain party lawmakers.

In other words, the paper said most party leaders are pursuing a right-wing agenda that has little to do with life in Japan since they are from affluent families. Nine of 10 party heads since Prime Minister Yohei Kono in 1993 were the sons or grandsons of lawmakers, with the same being true for the last six chairmen.

The Asahi Shimbun said in an editorial Thursday that while the Liberal Democratic Party had a good mix of hard-liners, moderates and reformists, all five candidates who ran for chairman this time were hard-liners and hereditary lawmakers.

In other news, Abe appointed his former defense chief Shigeru Ishiba as the party’s secretary general. Ishiba supports Japan’s exercise of its collective self-defensive right and the proposed revision of its constitution, so they are likely to accelerate Japan’s moves for rearmament.

bae2150@donga.com