Abe refuses to face historical facts

Yao Yunzhu, left, senior researcher at the Academy of Military Science of the People's Liberation Army, and Xu Qiyu, right, a researcher at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army, take part in the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference, in Singapore, May 30. [Photo/China Daily]

Chinese military scholar Xu Qiyu said on Friday that he had asked Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a question concerning historical facts at a regional security forum – but that he did not receive a satisfactory answer.

Xu, a researcher at the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army, said that Abe avoided answering his question at a Q&A session after the Japanese premier’s keynote speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore.

Xu said that there was a “wide gap” between Abe’s acceptance of past events and his views for the future, which made his “carefully worded rhetoric” in his speech about Japan’s Proactive Contribution to Peace “less credible.”

Xu also said that when Abe discussed the future, he did not show an enlightened attitude concerning historical issues.

Abe laid out his vision of Tokyo as a counterweight to the growing might of China. His agenda during the forum seemed to focus on Japan playing a larger role in promoting peace in Asia, and offering support to regional allies "to ensure security of the seas and skies.”

Abe also spoke specifically about support for Manila and Hanoi concerning maritime issues, saying Japan had already provided three vessels to Indonesia, and is also planning to provide vessels to Vietnam.

The Japanese premier added that his country had already trained a total of around 250 coastguards from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Yao Yunzhu, senior researcher at the Academy of Military Science of the People's Liberation Army, said Abe aimed to gain international influence so as to contain China, but military cooperation between China and ASEAN countries is actually very good.

Yao also said that Abe focused on an imagined “China threat” with the aim of fulfilling his long-time dream of amending Japan’s pacifist constitution.

The three-day forum, hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, comes amid intensified debate over whether Japan should exercise the right to collective self-defense - which would be a major departure from its postwar pacifist policy.