Japan and China Becoming Allies is Not Just A Pipe Dream!

First, I would like to state up front that this article is not driven by any political intentions. I am simply writing my thoughts honestly as a Japanese person who truly loves Japan, and as someone who wishes for world peace. When you look across the world today, there are few countries who are as peaceful as Japan. When people from overseas visit Japan, everyone says how wonderful Japan is and how kind Japanese people are. Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, and we are a conscientious nation whose people care for one another. If anything, the problem may be that Japanese people have become too accustomed to peace. It’s precisely because Japan is such a wonderful country that I’m concerned about the rising tension between Japan and our neighboring country, China.

First, let’s take a look at reality. To begin with, it is unthinkable for Japan to go to war with China. Japan is a country that has renounced war, and our people love peace. It is also unthinkable for Japan to go to war with neighboring country Russia. Japan would inevitably lose if we fought a war because our military strength is inferior, and there is no reason to fight in the first place. Looking at the recent wars overseas, the most obvious example is the use of drones. Present-day Japan is so defenseless that an attack by just a thousand drones could devastate the entire country. Not only does Japan lack the know-how to shoot down all of the drones, we also do not yet have the technology to repel them with lasers from outer space. Japan does not even have an air defense system like Israel’s Iron Dome, which Israel proudly possesses.

But please feel rest assured. Japan will not go to war with China. This is because today, including travelers, around one million Chinese people are residing within Japan. That number is increasing each day, and there are whispers that it may reach several million in a few decades. That is how much people from China seem to love Japan! At a time when Japan’s population decline is becoming increasingly severe, Japan is accepting investment from China with almost no restrictions, so it is only natural that more people from neighboring China are moving to Japan because it’s so easy to live in. An era in which one out of every ten people is Chinese is just around the corner. Because so many Chinese people are living happily in Japan, the environment is one in which mutual respect can exist.

It is certainly true that, from a Japanese perspective, many of China’s recent policies are difficult to accept. Whether it is foreign policy, issues in the East China Sea, or military exercises around Taiwan, there are many things that are hard for Japanese people to understand. However, each country has its own circumstances, and perhaps the honest feeling is that it cannot be helped. The international situation surrounding China is different from that of Japan, as China has land borders within the Asian continent. In other words, there are other countries surrounding its borders. Therefore, even though China is one of the world’s leading major powers, its borders are constantly enveloped in tension. Moreover, since various ethnic groups coexist within China, maintaining control over the state appears to be an extremely difficult task. You have to ask yourself, “do these countries really face that many problems?” However, there are many cases where we have no choice but to put our heads in the sand.

Even though there are many opposing views, I focused on three fundamental “starting” points. For one, Japan has had its history reshaped since ancient times by people who came from the Asian continent. During the Yayoi period, more than one million people crossed over to Japan from the continent. Many of them were migrants from China, and there is no doubt that intellectuals educated in China laid the foundations of ancient Japanese culture. That is why, in ancient Japan, the Chinese language was used alongside Japanese, and scholars exchanged written communication in kanbun, otherwise known as, Chinese. It is also known that many of the famous figures who appear in history were in fact of Chinese origin. In short, China is deeply intertwined with Japan’s roots. While it is understandable that Japan’s educational circumstances make it difficult to speak loudly about this, in any case, China is like a relative to Japan, and they are an important nation connected to Japan’s origins. Therefore, we should sincerely respect one another and remain on good terms forever.

Also, we must not forget that Japan is a defeated nation. After the war, Japan was placed under American occupation and received American-led education, regardless of whether we wished to or not. During the Showa era, there were many war-themed television programs, and in popular American-made shows such as Combat! and The Gallant Men, Germany was always portrayed as the villain and the United States as the victorious nation. Japanese people, from children to adults, watched these programs day after day. For example, both children and adults were taught to enjoy baseball, a sport introduced by the United States, and before long baseball became a core part of Japan’s sports culture, leading everyone to grow fond of America. However, despite there having been a time when Germany was portrayed as the villain to such a degree, Germany and Japan are now on very friendly terms more than half a century later, bound by deep ties of trust. As time passes, the bitter memories of the past fade away, and things return to the way they were meant to be.

In China, anti-Japanese war movies are still being shown in recent years. In these films, Japan is naturally portrayed as the villain, while China is depicted as the victor. Regardless of the circumstances Japan faced at the time, it is true that Japan inflicted tremendous damage on its neighboring countries, and that painful history cannot be erased. Therefore, it is unavoidable that films portraying Japan as the villain are circulated as a matter of national policy, and this is the same as how Japanese people spent many years watching television programs in which Germany was portrayed as the villain. As time passes, the stains of history are forgotten, and just as Japan and Germany are today, anti-Japanese sentiment will be temporary, and Japan and China should also become close. With mutual respect for each other, everything will be A-OK!

The third “starting” point is that Japan’s population is rapidly declining, and it is said that in 500 years the number of Japanese people will approach nearly zero. Therefore, reducing the population further through war must never happen. With the birthrate steadily falling, and with trends showing that the population may be halved within this century, combined with the current state of the world in which major disasters are looming, it is clear as day that human life must be valued. Now that the nation is facing the risk of disappearing five centuries from now, discussions involving war are out of the question. It is necessary to reaffirm that Japan’s future lies in peacefully coexisting with China, and to carefully pay attention to the flow of the times.

Finally, we need to pay close attention to the fact that the rapid advancement of AI technology in recent years has ushered in an era in which people around the world are dependent on AI. Japanese people are no exception to the global trends as they too have entered into the age of reliance on AI. And soon, the time will come when people all over the world are governed by AI. Whether for better or worse, this means that the world will be unified, and it will become a world without war. At the same time, it may also mean that, according to AI’s judgments, those who cannot comply with its rules will be eliminated. Within limited resources, AI is expected to control who is given what, including energy and food, and how they are used. Because AI will prioritize the energy it requires for itself, the allocation of the remaining energy will become a key factor determining people’s standard of living.

With an era in which such AI governs the world just around the corner, it would be unacceptable to create tension with an important neighboring country. Given that Prime Minister Takaichi is known for her playful wit, even if it was a slip of the tongue, she should be able to skillfully avert the situation. I have written an example of a message that the Prime Minister could deliver. I sincerely hope it will be considered.

(Message to China and the International Community)
“Please accept my sincere apologies for a statement that truly invited misunderstanding! (Smile!) At present, there are around one million people from China staying in Japan, and I hear that everyone loves Japan very much. We are truly grateful for that. Regarding my recent remarks, to begin with, Japan is a defeated nation, and we received education under American occupation. We rebuilt our country hand in hand with the United States. For that reason, we owe the United States a debt of gratitude and have a responsibility to cooperate with them. However, the roots of Japan are deeply intertwined with ancient China, and one could say we are like brother nations. China is like a relative living next door, while the United States is like a respected teacher who lives far away and has helped us greatly. If that is the case, then for Japan, both the United States and China are important ally nations to Japan. That is precisely why I pray that there will be no trouble between the two countries. That was the intent of my remarks. War must never happen. With this, I conclude my response regarding my unfortunate choice of words.”