Land of the rising sons
For the first time in living memory, a Japanese leader has demanded that China apologise - for anti-Japanese vandalism that has raged through several Chinese cities, including throwing rocks at the Japanese embassy in Beijing while police looked on.
The challenge from Tokyo was yet more evidence of Japan's emergence from the passive and pacifist cocoon in which it had wrapped itself since its crushing defeat in the second world war 60 years ago. Since then, Japan has almost always taken what the Japanese call a 'low posture' in its dealings with China and other Asian nations that it invaded during the days that militarists dominated.
Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura summoned Chinese ambassador Wang Yi last Sunday to lodge the protest, saying afterwards: 'We formally demanded China's apology and compensation.' Reports from Beijing said Chinese authorities were indignant at the Japanese demand and contended that the Japanese brought the criticism and outbursts on themselves.
Until now, Japan has responded to such confrontations with a public wringing of hands, a symbolic bow from the waist, and a muted expression of regret. Mainly, the Japanese have hoped that the issue would fade away with the passage of time. Over the years, the failure of the Japanese to stand up and assert themselves has caused China and South Korea, which has been moving to align itself with China, to become all the more aggressive in their attitudes towards Japan.
It remains to be seen whether Mr Machimura's new posture will be sustained. If it is, that could most likely be attributed to a generational change in Japan. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Mr Machimura, and many other Japanese political leaders comprise a true post-war generation of Japanese who have no personal memory of the second world war. This generation appears to feel less obligated to take a 'low posture' towards other Asians.
Another leader, Shinzo Abe, of the Liberal Democratic Party, took a position on a TV programme last Sunday that would have been unthinkable five years ago, pointing to anger over internal Chinese problems as causing the outbursts against Japan. 'Japan is an outlet to vent that anger,' Mr Abe was quoted in The New York Times as saying. 'Because of the anti-Japanese education there, it's easy to light the fire of these demonstrations and, because of the internet, it's easy to assemble a lot of people.'
Chinese rulers have been using the anti-Japanese eruptions, which could have occurred only with government approval, to divert attention from issues such as widespread unemployment. About 40 per cent of the labour force is either out of work or working only enough to get by.
One of the immediate issues that has stirred anti-Japanese demonstrations is Tokyo's bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council along with the US, Britain, France, Russia and China. Beijing has been determined to block that bid and underscored its opposition by endorsing India's efforts to become a permanent member. Brazil and Germany have also sought such membership. The Chinese government has vigorously objected to the recent common strategic objectives set out by the US and Japan, which includes Tokyo's assurance that it will help defend Taiwan if Beijing seeks to invade it.
Japan took control of Taiwan after the Sino-Japanese war of 1895. After the second world war, it renounced sovereignty but did not determine to whom it should pass, contending that it was for the victorious allied nations to decide.
Beijing has long demanded that Japan recognise its claim to Taiwan. Japan has refused, which once caused the late premier, Zhou Enlai , to tell a senior Japanese diplomat: 'You are nothing but a legal bandit.'
Richard Halloran is a former New York Times foreign correspondent in Asia and military correspondent in Washington
