This article touched on and/or hinted at something that I think will manifest itself boldly in the future; Japan will be the middle-man between U.S. - China passive aggression as the two economic bubble begin to butt against each other all across the world.
My understanding of the situation is something like this:
As the article described, Chinese-Japanese relations are about as bad as any two global powers could have it. Contrary to Western perception (as embodied by our classification of people: Asians), Chinese people are about as different from Japan in their culture, identity, and way of being as they are from Americans. At least, that's what I think. On top of that, Japan has a pretty lengthy history of murderous crusades into eastern China. Both sides are deeply instilled with a profound distaste for the other.
And, on the other side of the ocean, Japan-U.S. relations are defined intensely by the outcome of the second World War. I don't want to discount the more than half century of unique Japanese development after the American occupation ended, but I do believe that much of modern Japanese foundations are laid upon terms enforced during the years of American occupation.
Just in case your curious, here's the American Occupation of Japan on Wikipedia
The United States maintains a huge military presence in Japan and still receives war reparations. The point: Japan is firmly on the American side by force of forced tradition.
Even if China's soft power buys the all hearts of Southeast Asia, the United States will never lose Japan. As Chinese hegemony surges over its borders (as seen in the last months of East and South China Sea territorial disputes), Japan will be one of the main instruments of the United States.
Here are some examples of news headlines:
US and Japan Carry Out Joint Air Exercises
China Assails U.S. Over Alliance With Japan
China Warns Japan on U.S. Defense Pact
Japan - US Stage Military Drill
China Questions US Role in Koreas
Etc...
My understanding of the situation is something like this:
As the article described, Chinese-Japanese relations are about as bad as any two global powers could have it. Contrary to Western perception (as embodied by our classification of people: Asians), Chinese people are about as different from Japan in their culture, identity, and way of being as they are from Americans. At least, that's what I think. On top of that, Japan has a pretty lengthy history of murderous crusades into eastern China. Both sides are deeply instilled with a profound distaste for the other.
And, on the other side of the ocean, Japan-U.S. relations are defined intensely by the outcome of the second World War. I don't want to discount the more than half century of unique Japanese development after the American occupation ended, but I do believe that much of modern Japanese foundations are laid upon terms enforced during the years of American occupation.
Just in case your curious, here's the American Occupation of Japan on Wikipedia
The United States maintains a huge military presence in Japan and still receives war reparations. The point: Japan is firmly on the American side by force of forced tradition.
Even if China's soft power buys the all hearts of Southeast Asia, the United States will never lose Japan. As Chinese hegemony surges over its borders (as seen in the last months of East and South China Sea territorial disputes), Japan will be one of the main instruments of the United States.
Here are some examples of news headlines:
US and Japan Carry Out Joint Air Exercises
China Assails U.S. Over Alliance With Japan
China Warns Japan on U.S. Defense Pact
Japan - US Stage Military Drill
China Questions US Role in Koreas
Etc...
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