One of the oldest gambits in politics is to deflect criticism from domestic disarray by focusing attention on issues of sovereignty. Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has reasons enough to fall back on this familiar ploy.
Yesterday, the LDP announced its intention of making Japan's sovereignty to the Diaoyu Islands (claimed by China and Taiwan) and the Tok-do Islands (claimed by South Korea) a plank in its campaign leading to elections on October 20.
Its reasons for doing so are fairly evident. The world's second largest economy is going through trying times. The governing three-party coalition is challenged by a new party formed by disaffected members of the two smallest parties in the grouping.
Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, leader of the LDP, has seen his popularity drop sharply - 12 per cent of those who still support him said, in a recent poll, that they only do so in the absence of anyone better. Clearly, there is not much on which to fight an election campaign. Mr Hashimoto has attempted to reassure Asian neighbours by saying this is purely a party decision. Government policy is to take a less extreme approach to issues of sovereignty, and will remain so. But he is unlikely to allay suspicions about Japan's real aims.
Tokyo has been intransigent over Russian offers to jointly develop other disputed islands off Hokkaido. Japan could have defused tension over the Diaoyus by dismantling the lighthouse, the building of which by Japanese nationalists has sparked big demonstrations in Hong Kong and Taiwan. It did not choose to do so. Mr Hashimoto also caused considerable offence when he visited a shrine to honour Japanese war dead, including men guilty of war crimes.
These are the acts which cause other countries in Asia to worry about growing militarism in Japan. It may be that they will increase his support at home, but they can do his country nothing but harm in the outside world.
