If China expands the “One Belt, One Road” policy and begins colonizing the world, we may end up in another world war. Master Ryuho Okawa, founder and CEO of Happy Science, said in his Berlin lecture last October that, “WWIII will probably happen between 2025 and 2050 around the South China Sea.” Another crisis for humanity is imminent.

After the anti-China Trump steps down in 2024, there would be a huge risk of war breaking out the following year. Japan must prepare for this, but as we covered before, the Yoshida doctrine is hindering the country from sovereign responsibility. Instead Japan has been blindly following the U.S. until now.

Trump is now trying to change the world order, and upholds the sovereignty of each country. Japan must learn to stand on its own feet before Trump’s term comes to an end.

Strengthening Defense Over Constitutional Amendment

Last year Trump reversed his Japan policy by suggesting Japan’s nuclear armament, the use of aircraft carriers and constitutional amendment. Effectively Japan is being encouraged to recreate their army, and this opportunity cannot be missed.

While amending Article 9 of the Constitution is of vital importance, being caught up in constitutional wording when a serious crisis is imminent is an unwise solution. Japan must prioritize strengthening defense.

Japan must double the defense budget and employ nuclear submarines and cruise missiles as nuclear deterrents. To prepare for the worst-case scenario, Japan should also allow the U.S. to bring in nuclear weapons onto Japanese soil as well as preparing nuclear armaments for themselves.

These strategies will significantly reduce the risk of invasion.

A Peace Treaty To Split Off Russia and China

China’s expansionism picked up speed when Russia colluded with them. China made necessary arrangements to avoid being stabbed from behind by Russia so they could focus on dominating the East and South China Seas.

But as a Russian specialist told the Liberty Magazine, their relationship is an ambivalent one: on the one hand they are bonding, and on the other they are distrustful of one another. Russia has no choice but to form ties with China because the West is imposing sanctions on them.

If that is the case, Japan’s immediate agreement to the proposed peace treaty could become Russia’s second option. It could work to not only split Russia and China, but also have Russia join the China encirclement network.

Master Okawa comments thus on the hindrance caused by the territorial disputes:

 
Japan has a Russia-phobia tendency, which is giving rise to their obsession with the territorial dispute, but the real fear should be China. Japan’s national strategy should be to form a peace treaty with Russia to geopolitically sandwich China.

The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan is bend on having the islands returned. But if Japan had to fight against both China and Russia, it would only encourage China’s hegemony over the South China Sea, consequently threatening Japan’s survival.

That being said, Russia’s decision to turn the disputed islands into military facilities is indeed frightening for Japan. As social critic Kent Gilbert says, however, “If Japan allows Russia to build military facilities on Iturup Island they may make compromises for the territorial dispute.”

In other words, it could work to Japan’s favor to have Russian troops stationed on the northern islands and the U.S. troops stationed in Okinawa. It will certainly be effective against China.

Gaining Russia’s Trust Through Economic Cooperation

Ironically a good negotiation model to go by is the Russia-China one. In 2001 these countries put aside their long-standing territorial disputes and signed the Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship. After three years of building each other’s trust they were able to resolve the territorial dispute.

Japan can do the same. Gaining Russia’s trust is the best way to resolve the dispute.

Russia looks at recent history through the eyes of a WWII victor. Japan being a former Axis power would need to engage in major economic cooperation to gain trust. Just like how Yamaguchi said in his interview, a potential spot for cooperation would be to help extend the Trans-Siberian railway.

If Japan extends the railway to Hokkaido, it would become a powerful competitor for China’s “One Belt, One Road.” Its many uses could include transporting energy resources and large products like vehicles.

Shogun Ieyasu’s Diplomacy

Seeing recent events make one lose faith in Japan’s diplomatic ability, but looking back over history, Japan was a country that gave birth to one of the greatest strategists of all time: Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543 – 1616).

Japanophiles may know Ieyasu as a man who rose from being a subordinate of Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, to later become the first shogun. He endured many difficulties, and made many diplomatic allies. At the battle of Sekigahara, he convinced enemy factions to switch sides before the battle even began, thus securing a victory and establishing 250 years of peace.

Japan must learn from Ieyasu and endure the tragic history of Siberian internment, make Russia switch sides through the peace treaty, and establish a China encirclement ally network. That is how the country can survive while the U.S. and China are fighting a battle that will determine the future of the world.

In the end, it all comes down to whether Japan can break free from the Yoshida doctrine’s creed of blind obedience to the U.S., to finally become a proper sovereign nation. Only then will Japan become a leader that can protect the world from China’s oppression of freedom, democracy and faith.

Column 1

Nobunaga-Style Weapons Revolution
Specific Defense Strategies for Japan

The Ministry of Defense in Japan plans to introduce Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Missiles (THAAD) in 2026 to combat China’s increasing menace. It is a weapon that travels faster than the speed of sound onto its target. Its impact can be compared to a meteorite hitting the Earth, and although non-nuclear, is affective in adding to Japan’s defense power.

The government has limited its use to defense, but it should be prepared for attack purposes in case the need arises to destruct China’s military facilities.

As Mochida pointed out in his interview, Japan should also put more focus into developing state-of-the-art weapons such as microwave and cyber weapons.

Harnessing all of these together would change the face of warfare. A historically similar moment would be when Nobunaga made revolutionary use of rifles against the samurai cavalry in the battle of Nagashimo to secure his victory.

The new forms of weaponry don’t require ammunition and will therefore cost less for the government. Japan must invest in the development of new weapons, and engage in a weapons revolution like Nobunaga did.

Picture: Oda Nobunaga’s name spread across the land after he fought using rifles against Takeda’s cavalry.

Column 2

North Korea Abduction Problem To be Solved After They Go Global

Japan needs a new North Korea strategy to deter China. The North Korean crisis is not just about nukes.

The Japanese Abe government has been emphasizing the abduction problem, but while it is an important issue, it cannot be resolved until North Korea embraces democracy and open her gates to the global community. Until then it is impossible to have the abductees released or to investigate their whereabouts.

It is better not to focus on the abduction problem until North Korea has formally been accepted into the international community. In his most recent Japanese-language book, “Nihon 4.0”, Romanian political scientist Edward Nicolae Luttwak asserts that Japan’s obsession with the abduction problem places them at a strategic disadvantage.

Japan’s role should be to move in harmony with the U.S., provide economic support for North Korea to open her gates, and separate North Korea from China. That is the quickest way for North Korea to join the international community and thus, for the abduction problem to come to a resolution.

Photograph: PM Abe’s emphasis of the abduction problem makes Japan look looks like they are begging North Korea for their lives.

What Japan Should Do In Russia Diplomacy

1. Japan is trapped by the Yoshida doctrine and the Cold War attitude against Russia

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Regain sovereignty and establish an independent diplomatic and security policy

2. Japan’s Russia-phobia

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Realize that fighting on two fronts against both Russia and China is unwise

3. Russia’s distrust of Japan

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Japan to strengthen trust through economic cooperation for developments in the Far East

4. Afraid of Russian military facilities on the northern islands

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Use it against China