Thursday, December 26, 2013

The Lady Is Not Amused

This is still your honeymoon interval, Madame Ambassador. Hope you had a cheering and heartwarming Christmas.

What? You have some statement?

Please go ahead. It's a free country
Statement on Prime Minister Abe's December 26 Visit to Yasukuni Shrine

December 26, 2013

Japan is a valued ally and friend. Nevertheless, the United States is disappointed that Japan's leadership has taken an action that will exacerbate tensions with Japan's neighbors.

The United States hopes that both Japan and its neighbors will find constructive ways to deal with sensitive issues from the past, to improve their relations, and to promote cooperation in advancing our shared goals of regional peace and stability.

We take note of the Prime Minister’s expression of remorse for the past and his reaffirmation of Japan's commitment to peace.

(Link)

The Japanese text is here.

Ambassador Kennedy should not be too upset. Prime Minister Abe did not seek to humiliate her in particular. What he has done is show his fundamental indifference toward the advice given him by every U.S. government official who has met either him or Foreign Minister Kishida over the last year. He certainly has humiliated all the Track 2 emissaries he sent to Washington or those who spoke on his behalf in Washington, with the exception of course of Yasukuni rationalizer Professor Kevin Doak.

Then again, the Washington visitors and denizens know darn well that the oldest rule in politics is "You gotta dance with them what brung ya."

Today all Abe done is done danced with them that brung 'im.

Tip of the hat to Robert Dujarric for the links.

3 comments:

Robert Dujarric said...

Thank you, actually I was informed of Madame Kennedy's spanking of the PM by a Japanese reporter.

Dom Yusoff said...

Having visited Yushukan and the Shrine itself, it always bemused me to see them display statements from Asian leaders praising Japan's supposed war of liberation but leaving out Mao's praise on the Imperial Army and its contribution to Chinese Communism. I think Yushukan should include Mao's statement so that the Japanese rightists can be educated on the fact their precious Imperial Army helped Mao into the seat of power

Armchair Asia said...

Money talks, paid for BS advice walks as they say. Why should he listen to people his funders had already bought to agree with him, no matter what he did. The Japan manager's advice was meaningless; they would and could never leave him. He holds them where it matters.