Discuss whether Japan has apologised sufficiently to China for its aggression during the 1930's and 40's.

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Guy Orr - 012366507                                                                                                           6th November 2002                                                                                                                

Discuss whether Japan has apologised sufficiently to China for its aggression during the 1930’s and 40’s.

In 1972 Japan and China signed a joint declaration to begin the normalisation of bi-lateral relations between the two countries.  This is seen to be vital in both countries that relations are friendly, especially seeing that Japan has one of the world’s strongest economies, and China is becoming a global power too. More importantly, hostile relations in a tense region in the world, is dangerous seeing that both countries have strong military capabilities. During this resumption of diplomatic relation Japan expressed ‘deep remorse’ to China for the war. Since then, the issue of reparations and apologies has been a sticking point in a developing, economic and political relationship, which has seen the two countries work together as they had done in previous centuries. As a result of the normalisation, hostilities ended, and there was recognition from both sides of institutional and political systems. China renounced its claim for war reparations, and so this lead to the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the two countries being signed on August 1978, but only entered into force on 23 October 1978.  

The history of the two aspiring Asian powers stems back a long way, in many senses of the word, by this I’m implying that they have always used their relationship to work closely politically, economically, and culturally. They have both always seen themselves as the dominating country in the region, and have always competed.

In this essay, I aim to give an account of Japan’s numerous apology efforts made towards China during since the war and especially over the last 30 years. I will explore this on a governmental level, from both sides, and also the reaction to these apologies from a public point of view. China are continuously using the war as an instrumental value to put economic pressure on Japan, why is this? When will the apologies be enough?

The basic framework for Japan-China relations in the 21st century was established by the Japan-China Joint Declaration on Building a Partnership of Friendship and Cooperation for Peace and Development, issued in 1998 during President Jiang Zemin's visit to Japan. This Declaration stresses that Japan and China should cooperate not only for their own benefit, but to contribute to the international community.

When in 1998 Jiang Zemin became the first President of China to visit Japan, people thought that the past had been buried and put to the back of the politician’s minds, and bi-lateral relations would grow from this meeting. It wasn’t just a meeting of two important politicians, in Jiang Zemin and Keizo Obuchi, but a signing of a Joint Declaration of Partnership for Friendship and Cooperation, which would be the catapult to launch these great nations to work together in the 21st Century. However, it became a tour of criticism of the Japanese. It was just a further opportunity for the Chinese to request another apology from Japan for its war crimes. On so many previous occasions Japan, and its leaders, and ministers have expressed remorse in more than one way. Why does China continue to make references to the past, when the two countries will gain more by talking about the future. It seems to me that “China still derives too much political gain from constant criticism to drop it.”

Prior to the visit by Zemin, China urged Japan to issue an apology for its ‘aggression’ in China earlier in the century. This came from sources in the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, after they decided to toughen their stand on this debate, following the joint statement issued by Obuchi and South Korean President Kim Dae Jung. “In that statement, Obuchi expressed ‘deep remorse and heartfelt apology’ for the ‘great pain and damage’ Japan inflicted on the Korean people during its 1910-1945 rule of the Korean Peninsula.” At the time the Japanese Foreign Ministry said that it had already settled its past with China, and left it up to Prime Minister Obuchi to make a decision on whether to apologise. The visit by Zemin was cancelled by Beijing once for flooding in China, and then was put off a second time due to the Chinese not being pleased at the fact that an apology was not arranged. The Chinese wanted a change in the Joint Statement with Korea, with the words ‘Korean People’ changed to ‘Chinese People’ and ‘colonial rule’ changed to ‘aggression’. Japan refused this, as it had apologised for its actions many times in the past, some of which I will go into in more detail. “The failure of Japan to give such a formal written apology to China was believed to be due to the strength of nationalist opposition”. Obuchi’s party, the LDP, were trying to enhance their government legislative capability, by arranging a coalition with the conservative liberal party. Even with the opportunity on both sides to move on, the issue of war still arises, at most sensitive moments.

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With China repeatedly asking for an apology from Japan, it is easy to think to yourself, has Japan actually apologised? This therefore gives Japan and its leaders a bad reputation, with the world thinking that Japan has done nothing to compensate for the war. Certain people’s point of view is that Japan has already apologised and so does not need to do so again, others say that if they have apologised once, why can’t they do so again? Depending on your political stance determines most how people think with regards to the apology issue. Coming from a westerner’s perspective, ...

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