At Davos, a Japanese bull in a China shop
Kevin Rafferty says the alarming references to war in Abe's speech at Davos again raise fears that the Japanese prime minister lacks the finesse to handle his country's delicate ties with China
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe went to Davos to tell the world's business elite that Japan is back and is open for business. But on the way he tripped himself up and - yet again - opened old sores concerning Japan's troubled relations with China.
His performance had even seasoned commentators wondering and worrying whether Abe in particular and Japan in general understand the complexity and delicate balance of relations in Asia or whether he is spoiling for a fight.
In his set speech, delivered in well-practised English replete with expressive hand gestures to indicate he was in charge, Abe devoted most of his time to promises that Japan is on the verge of sweeping domestic reforms that are going to transform the country.
Abe sounded like a megalomaniac magician pulling brilliant rabbits out of his hat
He concluded with a plea for co-operation between countries and added that, "The dividends of growth must not be wasted on military expansion. We must use it to invest in innovation and human capital, which will further boost growth in the region".
Without naming China, he went on, "Military budgets should be made completely transparent and there should be public disclosure in a form that can be verified." In addition, disputes should be resolved through "dialogue and the rule of law, and not through force and coercion".
A leading Chinese professor attending the Davos meetings immediately labelled Abe a "troublemaker" and compared him to the erratic North Korean leadership.
Just in case you think it unfair to judge him for comments on international matters when he was speaking mostly about Japan and at a session which is traditionally devoted to business, Abe went on to talk with international journalists and make some strange and rather scary comments about relations with China.
Most strangely, he compared Japan's situation with China today to that of Germany and Britain on the eve of the Great War. He said the two countries today had a "similar situation" as Britain and Germany had in 1914, including a strong trading partnership, but this had not prevented tensions that spilled over into war.