Japanese citizens should recognize that Korea is very important strategic partner - from geopolitical and global framework viewpoint

THIS ARTICLE WAS WROTE ON JULY,13TH.
Introduction
...
THIS WEEK, there was an accident in Seoul that Korean man attacked to Japanese embassy using van. However, it was emerged that this accident was revenge to Japanese right person who bind the placard saying "Takeshima is Japan's inherent territory" to the bronze figure setting in front of Japanese embassy as a symbol of comfort women problem between Japan and Korea. Frankly, both things are foolish, but by these accident each citizens' feeling to another become worse. And sadly, Japan-Korea relationship always repeat same thing which happened this week, and always overlook core profit for two countries. 


  THERE ARE MANY DIFFICULT PROBLEMS between Japan and Korea. Both governments insists that Takeshima 竹島 (Dokut 独島 in Korean) is "inherent territory", and Korean government offers to Japanese government to compensate officially about brutality during World War II (when Korea was a colony of Japan). Still now both citizens' feelings to another is not very good, and each citizens overlooked the profit of "Japan-Korea relationship". Mutual criticize, misunderstanding and unreasonable prejudice can be brought destructive result to Japan and Korea. Therefore, each citizens should recognize the profit of Japan-Korea relationship from perspective profit is bigger than unprofitable situations which are brought by nonsense and little-meaningful conflict.

First and foremost of all, Japan and Korea stand almost same situation geopolitically and strategic cooperation is inevitable. However, it can be assumed that this point has not been thought as important viewpoint and many people overlooked. Both Japan and Korea situate very close geographically, and both two countries are threaten by "communist" sphere of influence (i.e. China and North-Korea, maybe Russia can be involved). Japanese government always faces China's threat at Senkaku 尖閣 islads (Diaoyu 魚釣 islands in Chinese) , and Korea also faces North-Korea's threat. Of course, both Japanese and Korean government have strong relationship with China mainly in the field of economy, but in strategic field and ideological field (alliance with U.S. also should be considered) China cannot be thought as strategic partner who shares equal profit. Also, China wants to have a role as a "nation of Pacific" indicates that Japan and Korea stand in same threat (because both two nations are U.S. alliance powers and disturbs China's advance to Pacific).

In the context of global framework, it can be said that two spheres of influence are existing in the area of Far East : U.S. alliance power and not U.S. (or NATO) alliance power. Though U.S. now seeks to cooperate with China, core collision between U.S. and China (especially the problem of human rights or democratization etc.) cannot and will not be able to resolve. U.S. and China relationship will have been the repeat of "tension" and "reconciliation (detente)". Beyond 2025, or after end of quarter of the twenty-first century, it is said that U.S. power in Asia would be decline and China's power will increase (but wouldn't have power like 1990's U.S.). Even if China won't be "superpower" country, it can be said that Far East geopolitical situation will jeopardize dramatical change sooner or later.*

Without strong cooperative relationship between Japan and Korea, both countries cannot react to dramatical change of geopolitic. Though U.S. presence in Asia will not vanish at least by 2025, it is certain that China's power will increase relatively to U.S. military power. Given the situation that Japan and Korea are disturbing China's advance to Pacific, both two countries sharing same danger and threat is very clear. However, surprisingly, some (maybe almost) Japanese citizens are recognizing that Korea and China stands same position. Maybe this style of thinking comes from the recognition that "anti-Japanese" feeling are common in both two countries. But both citizens should know that anti feeling doesn't make anything positive, and territorial problem or historical problem are not only factor of nation relationship.

Nation relationship connotes many field, and profit of the national security policy mainly should be focus on geopolitical situation, shouldn't be focus on anti-feeling or territorial problem. Especially Takeshima problem, Japanese citizens should understand that it is not the fight with "enemy". It doesn't mean that China is Japan's enemy, but in the viewpoint of strategical cooperation, it is clear that Korea is more important partner for Japan. It is same for Korea, too. Japan and Korea also have other problem (mainly in the field of historical recognition), but these things shouldn't be work as negative factor for Japan-Korean relationship. Korea shoudn't be extreme, and Japan shouldn't have prejudicial view that Korean's historical recognition is wrong and Japan's recognition is correct. In that field gentle dialog is foremost needed, and it will brought more friendly relationship between Japan and Korea.

It is nonsense that Japan or Korea makes now confusional relationship. Both have responsibilities. In the situation that Japan-Korean relationship is more and more inevitable and important, mutual compromise and trying to dialog is also inevitable. Now, Japan-Korean relationship stands crossroad.

Note
* Zbigniew Brzezinski's recent writing "Strategic Vision" gives us very interesting thought. Chapter 4 "Beyond 2025" is must-read.

日本文抄訳 （本記事の執筆は、７月１３日）
 この文章執筆ののきっかけは、今週起こった韓国人男性による日本大使館への突撃事件である。日韓関係は、竹島問題や慰安婦問題、及びそれに付随する双方の馬鹿げた行為によっていつも乱され、両者にとって本質的な利益が追求出来ない状況にあるのは、実に由々しい問題である。地政学的に見て、「太平洋国家」を目指す中国にとって日本、韓国は共にその進出を妨げる存在であるという事実に直面している現状において、双方共に戦略的に重要なパートナーであるにも関わらず、そのことは日本においてほとんど認識されていない。韓国にとっても、反日感情が支配的になりすぎ、韓国にとっての日本との連携利益が見逃されているのではないか。今日のような複雑な日韓関係を作り出してきたのは、どちらかが悪いのではなく、双方に責任があり、地政学的に大きな変動が予想される今世紀、日韓が協力し、太平洋に一定のプレゼンスを保ちつづけることは欠かせない。双方共に極端になりすぎず、自らの主張のみが正しいと思わずに、真摯な対話を通じて、日韓間に横たわる問題の解決に、1つ1つ取り組んでゆくべきだ。そうした問題を超えて、日韓は協力によって得る利益の方がはるかに大きいのだから。いま、双方ともにリベラルに対応し、関係をよい方向へと向けようと、日本、韓国の国民が思わなければ、日韓の互恵関係は見逃され、双方ともに、今後起こるだろう地政学的変容に対応出来ず、破滅的な結果に陥るかもしれない。