Fumio Kishida came to power in 2021 as Japan's prime minister, and has basically maintained the rhythm of visiting the United States once a year for three years. During his recent visit to the United States, Kishida also delivered a speech to the US Congress in English that he was not fluent in, but he was obviously too flattering, and even the Japanese couldn't stand it, calling "He will be the next Zelensky."
According to the Global Times, during the speech, Kishida repeatedly "shook off his baggage" to curry favor with US lawmakers. He said, "It is impossible for me to receive such warm applause in the Japanese Diet." He said that when I was a child, my favorite was American cartoons; he also said, "The United States is a country that single-handedly upholds the international order, and I understand that carrying such hopes on my shoulders is a heavy burden, and American leadership is indispensable." He said, "Now that the United States is not alone, Japan is with you."
At the dinner the day before, he also said, "To be honest, I felt so stressed and speechless in front of so many big-name American and Japanese guests," and said, "It wasn't until I was brought to the seat next to the president of the United States that my hanging heart relaxed."
Regarding Kishida's practice of currying favor through "self-depreciation", the Japanese people have mixed reviews. Some people think that his approval rating may be better if he does this, more people think that Kishida's "flattery" is too much, "even if Japan is a defeated country, there is no need to do it to this extent", and others think: "Kishida may be the next Zelensky." For the United States, war is a time to make money, and applause will still be given to you". In this regard, we will talk about three topics.
First, why is Kishida so flattering in front of the United States?
First, Japan cannot do without the protection of the United States. Japan is a "defeated country" and, according to the relevant UN regulations, Japan can only "defend itself." However, although it has made great mistakes against regional countries, Japan is not reconciled in the face of punishment, and for many years, the primary goal of successive Japanese governments has been to make Japan a "normal country" again, to obtain the right to military arms, and to have the right to declare war on foreign countries. Japan knows very well that the only one that can help itself in order to achieve such a goal is the United States. That being the case, of course, it is necessary to flatter the United States.
We have found that the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force today actually has three aircraft carriers, which were built in the name of "helicopter destroyers" with a displacement of about 20,000 tons, and then carried out transformation with the help of the United States, and finally took off and landed F-35C carrier-based aircraft to achieve the function of aircraft carriers; Japan's Air Self-Defense Force is equipped with a large number of F-35A fifth-generation stealth fighters, and what is the F-35? It is specially designed for attack, and it is used to "kick the door" in wartime, and this is the configuration that a defeated country should have? Is this still a country that specializes in defense? Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force has imported Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States, with a range of at least more than 1,000 kilometers, much higher than the 200 nautical miles range of "self-defense."
Japan is able to do this, of course, thanks to the United States. The United States hopes to arm Japan and use it to contain China and Russia, so no matter what its identity is, it has been "loosening" Japan. During Kishida's recent visit to the United States, the two sides also agreed to enhance cooperation in the military field, including artificial intelligence, hypersonic technology, and advanced chips. It can be said that Japan has used "flattery" to gain a lot of benefits in the hands of the United States.
Second, if Kishida wants to consolidate his ruling foundation, he cannot do without the support of the United States. Although Kishida is not one of those "one-year-tour" prime ministers, his approval rating has been declining since he became president, especially after Japan insisted on discharging nuclear wastewater into the ocean. In this context, only by getting closer to the United States and gaining Biden's support can we hope to suppress other factions and win a more relaxed space for ourselves to govern. It is precisely because he knows that he has a request from the United States that Kishida not only runs more diligently to Washington, but also has a sweeter mouth in front of the Americans.
Second, Kishida knows what the US congressmen want to hear, so he does not hesitate to slander China to please the Americans.
In his speech, Kishida publicly criticized China, saying that "China's current foreign stance and military actions around Japan pose an unprecedented and greatest strategic challenge not only to the peace and security of Japan, but also to the peace and stability of the entire international community." He further stated that "today's Ukraine may be tomorrow's East Asia", completely ignoring the current international facts, and wantonly "buttoning the hat" to China. It can also be seen from this that China is light in Kishida's eyes, which is really a great irony for some "Japanese lickers" in various fields in the country.
In fact, what Japan is doing is the challenge to regional security. Kishida slanders China, but what has Japan done against China?
On the Taiwan Strait issue, Japan has not only deployed "Patriot" missiles around Taiwan Island and has continued to conduct military exercises, including in the Taiwan Strait, under the pretext of so-called "preventing incidents in the southwestern islands." High-level politicians have also openly clamored that "if there is something wrong with Taiwan, there is something wrong with Japan," and that it is brazenly interfering in China's internal affairs. When Taro Aso, deputy prime minister of Japan's ruling party, visited Taiwan, he even shouted that "the United States and Japan should prepare for war against China."
On the issue of the South China Sea, it is Japan that has held the most exercises with the United States in the South China Sea. Not only that, but Japan, in collaboration with the United States, recently held a joint exercise with the Philippines to demonstrate against China. At present, the Philippines is the "standard-bearer" of the United States to provoke China in the South China Sea, and Japan and the Philippines have already negotiated an agreement on "mutual stationing of troops." Philippine Navy warships are also under construction by Japan, and most of the Philippine coast guard patrol ships are gifts from Japan. Even the radars deployed around the South China Sea were sent to the Philippines by Japan for the purpose of monitoring Chinese warships and planes leaving the Western Pacific.
Kishida, of course, knows that one of the main goals of the Biden administration is to implement the so-called "Indo-Pacific strategy" to contain China's rise, so US lawmakers love to hear anything aimed at China. As a result, it is clear that Japan is targeting China, and Kishida also wants to reverse black and white, calling China a "challenge".
Third, why do the Japanese think Kishida will be the next Zelensky?
On the one hand, the last person to make such a "flattering speech" in the US Congress was Zelensky. Kishida does this to have a sense of security and support, and Zelensky does this to ask for money and weapons, and they all have their own little calculations, and in this regard, they are indeed very similar.
On the other hand, Kishida, like Zelensky, has the conditions to become a "pawn" of the United States. In the eyes of the United States, the main task of Ukraine led by Zelensky is to weaken Russia, and this goal is being gradually achieved through conflict, and the United States will not care what Ukraine will become in the end, and Japan, led by Kishida, the main task is, of course, to contain China, and once a conflict breaks out in the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea, Japan may also be pushed to the fore by the United States and directly confront China as a "proxy".
The United States is now constantly enhancing Japan's military strength and will increase cooperation, with the aim of hoping to release Japan to "bite people" at a critical time. But compared to Ukraine, Japan may be a not very safe dog, a dog that may bite its owner, China will of course be wary of Japan, after all, it was invaded by Japan back then, and the Chinese have an account in their hearts. However, the United States, which has "loosened" Japan's bonds, should probably be even more wary of Japan, because it was Japan that fired the first shot at US territory in World War II.