2022-11-30
The following is from a special roundtable discussion published in the January 2023 issue of the monthly magazine WiLL, released on November 25, 2022, under the title “I Want to Curse It to Death—Xi Jinping’s Dictatorship!”, featuring four participants: Tomoko Ako, Professor at the University of Tokyo; Lumei Tan, writer; Yi Yang, writer; and Yanzi Liu, scholar of Chinese literature.
As I have mentioned repeatedly, WiLL and Hanada cost just 980 yen despite being packed with substantive articles!
It is no exaggeration whatsoever to say that they are currently the finest monthly magazines in the world.
This article is essential reading not only for every Japanese citizen but also for people throughout the world.
It is essential reading for everyone, young and old, men and women, and especially for all young people.
Some passages already foreshadowed the developments now taking place in China.
Emphasis within the text, other than in the headings, is mine.
Without Guiding Principles, Japan Can Do Nothing
Ako
I am humbled by your words, but I can only do small things.
That is why I want to work together with people from many different backgrounds.
Recently, I spent four days in Taiwan participating in the World Movement for Democracy.
This gathering brings together activists, journalists, lawyers, scholars, and others from around the world to analyze the realities of human rights violations and abuses of power, confront discrimination and injustice, and discuss strategies for advancing freedom and democracy.
The main theme this time was “How to Counter Digital Authoritarianism Driven by China, Russia, and Other Countries.”
Especially now, with Russia spreading disinformation about Ukraine, I was reminded once again that democratic countries must stand together.
How can we, as democratic countries, develop counter-narratives to challenge authoritarian countries such as China and Russia, which disseminate narratives that serve their own interests?
Developing such a strategy requires concrete discussions in educational settings and among a variety of organizations, including media outlets and think tanks.
At present, however, Japan leaves everything to the United States and the United Kingdom, while its own guiding principles concerning what it values remain extremely vague.
Tan
I completely agree.
North Korea is now launching missiles one after another, but Japan merely says it will “monitor the situation vigilantly” and has been unable to respond firmly.
There is no point in merely watching.
Without firm principles and the ability to make decisions, we cannot take concrete action.
Ako
On human rights issues concerning the Uyghurs, Hong Kong, and elsewhere, too, Japan has merely issued guidelines and resolutions, with nothing concrete in the way of legislation or policy.
The concept of economic security has been discussed in recent years, but without firm guiding principles, economic considerations will take precedence, and we will be unable to have any impact on human rights issues.
Putting human rights at the center inevitably entails some losses for businesses, but addressing human rights issues with a willingness to accept those losses requires firm principles.
Even if the disadvantages are considerable in the short term, the long-term disadvantages of nurturing a vast authoritarian state such as China are far greater.
After the Tiananmen Square incident, Japan engaged with China while disregarding human rights, and China grew into the authoritarian state it is today.
We must reflect seriously on that.
To be continued.