An interesting but likely misleading view

Comments on Jing Zhao’s comments on “The rise of China: the impetus behind Japanese regionalism” by Takashi Terada, 26/09/2009, http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2009/07/26/the-rise-of-china-the-impetus-behind-japanese-regionalism/comment-page-1/#comment-45172

Japan, in a sense, may have always been a deformed giant of dwarfs, largely due to its actions in the War time and as its defeat in that War and under the US occupation and influence.

It had few friends in Asia after the War, although it rose very rapidly economically. Others may have loved Japanese money, they don’t have the same attitude towards it people. The sentiments in Gao’s comments reflect something of that kind.

Could Japan be different and more forceful to China following June the 4th? Yes, it could. But could that change anything, either in terms of Japan’s international standing, or its subsequent economically lost decade? I doubt it.

I understand Jing Zhao’s sentiment, given what happened back then. But I am sorry to say that I am not sure his arguments are correct.

The rise of China economically and the relative decline of Japan, irrespectively whether it could or cold not avoid the lost decade, has been, is and will be inevitable, similar as Japan’s rapid rise and the change of its relative economic position internationally from the 1950s to the 1980s. Developing countries, or at least some of them will catch up and move to the production frontier of human technologies where the industrialised countries are.

Japan’s lost decade, just like the current financial and economic crisis, had its own domestic causes. But it had nothing to do with its attitude towards China at that time. To say otherwise is a bit far-reach.

Jing Zhao seemed to argue that could be averted by Japan’s actions and attitudes along. It is far from convincing logically.