US and Japan: A Stopover at Tokyo in a Global Atmosphere of Shifting Alliances
US and Japan: A Stopover at Tokyo in a Global Atmosphere of Shifting Alliances
US President Barack Obama is currently touring Japan. This is the first state visit to this Asian nation by an American president since the 1990s. The previous US president to make a foray into Japan was Bill Clinton in the year 1996. While a long gap has passed between then and now (almost 18 years), it seems that ties between the 2 nations are all set to go a redefinition. An increasingly changing geopolitical scenario is forcing a lot of nations to do a massive rethink when it comes to global ties.
Bilateral ties between the two countries need to improve. With the shadow of Hiroshima-Nagasaki and the Pearl Harbour bombings in a distant past, the future looks to be a different story altogether. The US has been facing a lot of challenges lately. This includes the crises in Ukraine, Libya and Syria. The confrontation between North and South Korea is also contributing to the tensions in Asia.
The US is faced with numerous concerns. It seeks China’s support on a range of issues while putting up defences when it comes to the economic front. In a scene of changing alliances, China and South Korea are now edging closer. South Korea was earlier a staunch ally of the US. Japan itself is drawing the ire of both these nations on account of its revisionist moves. Even North Korea is joining this game of shifting alliances by reaching out to Japan.
The big issue on the table when it comes to Asia is the Six Party talks initiated by China over the nuclear capabilities and tensions in North Korea. A new Cold War seems to be lurking ahead following the crisis in Ukraine. China is aligning with Russia in a bid to put pressure on the US. The vital issue that confronts US and Japan though is the dispute involving the Senkaku and Diaoyu islands. China and Japan are currently looking to lock horns over this issue. Japan in turn is seeking Russia’s support for resolving this deal.
Against the backdrop of these key issues, the world media and leaders are watching to see what the next move will be. Seeking alliances is nothing new in today’s world where even governments can make or break their fortunes by choosing the wrong allies. With an increasing race between the nations for becoming economic leaders becoming even more competitive owing to diminishing resources, it becomes a case of playing the right move on what is already a complicated global chessboard.
When Japan’s premier, Shinzo Abe visited the Yasukuni Shrine in 2013, the cracks in the bilateral ties between this nation and the US seemed to be widening. The growing menace of an attack by China regarding the Senkaku/Diaoyu island is another solid factor which is motivating Japan to reach out to as many allies as possible and this includes the US. In fact, the US is a potential asset in any world leader’s set of diplomatic cards because it is able to control a lot of global affairs. Playing the right hand is all about having contacts, whether you are running a business or a nation.
The Japanese leadership wants to keep tensions out of the alliance for now. This may be a reason why issues like the Tokyo Tribunal are going to be avoided. But that which is hidden cannot be forgotten. President Obama also faces the near impossible task of bringing about reconciliation between Japan and South Koera. Though Tokyo and Seoul have been warring over key issues such as the ties with China, an alliance between the two may stop the formation of one camp of Asian nations against another.
Pitting one set of nations against the other can only lead to disaster. Dividing the world into camps on the basis of key issues will never yield desirable results. Diplomatic sparring should replace actual war. After all, it has the potential to pave a way for a peaceful future. Moves such as the recent state visit can only yield mutually beneficial outcomes for both nations if each recognizes and respects the limitations of the other and both move towards workable solutions for bigger issues. Mending bilateral ties requires time, effort and patience. It also requires a careful understanding of how to promote national interests without compromising international peace. Hopefully, the US will make a move that has positive consequences for Japan and the rest of Asia in these uncertain times.
