80 Years after End of WWII / Taking the Lead in Restoring Peace / Japan’s Ability to Chart Diplomatic Vision is Tested

Editorial

16:14 JST, August 15, 2025

Friday marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The national memorial service for the war dead is set to be held in Tokyo. It is hoped that heartfelt prayers for the 3.1 million people who lost their lives in the war can be offered and that a pledge for peace can be renewed.

Japan has enjoyed peace and prosperity over the past 80 years. This is solely because it has been able to continue its economic activities and other endeavors within the U.S.-led international order based on the rule of law and free trade.

However, that international order is becoming increasingly shaky. This is partly because the United States has begun to turn its back on multilateral cooperation.

Urgent need to rebuild U.N.

The U.N. Security Council is in a position to lead the world toward peace and stability, but its key member Russia, a permanent member of the council, has continued its aggression against Ukraine.

In the Middle East, Israel has gone beyond its right to self-defense and is killing large numbers of civilians in the Palestinian territory of Gaza.

Japan must not be allowed to merely stand by and watch this situation, or continue to be a beneficiary of peace. Japan should take the lead in firing up international opinion for the rebuilding of order and the restoration of peace.

Japan has long provided help to developing countries through its official development assistance and other means. It also maintains good relationships with Middle East countries. Japan must leverage this accumulated experience and strengthen its efforts to engage with countries involved in conflicts.

The decline of U.S. influence and Russia’s reckless behavior have resulted in the U.N. Security Council becoming dysfunctional.

U.N. General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, but it is important for Japan to cooperate with other member states and contribute to shaping international opinion to ensure that Russia and other countries comply with them.

Japan’s capabilities to chart a vision are being put to the test in the pursuit of global stability.

In 2016, then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe proposed the concept of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” on the occasion of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) held in Kenya.

The concept, which aims to promote free trade among other principles across the Pacific and Africa as a whole, has also been incorporated into the diplomatic strategies of the United States and European countries.

However, it is regrettable that Japan has not been able to communicate such influential diplomatic policies since then. The ninth TICAD will begin in Yokohama on Wednesday. This should be an opportunity to deepen cooperation between the liberal camp, which includes Japan, and Africa.

At home, the Liberal Democratic Party, which suffered a crushing defeat in the recent House of Councillors election, has been in turmoil for nearly a month over the question of whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will resign or remain in office.

With politics in a state of paralysis, the government is in no state to formulate a new diplomatic policy. It is essential that the prime minister quickly decides to resign, paving the way for a stable new administration to be inaugurated.

Populism spreading

The international situation is becoming difficult to foresee. U.S. President Donald Trump has championed an “America First” policy and imposed high tariffs, even on its allies.

In Europe, xenophobic populism is rampant, driven by dissatisfaction with policies on accepting immigrants and refugees, and the moderate centrist forces that led postwar development are losing ground.

Japan is no exception. The established political parties that long held a dominant position after the war have lost public trust and, in their place, new opposition forces advocating for what appears to be antiforeignism have begun to rise.

How to rebuild democracy at this crossroads is a serious challenge for Japan and other countries.

The current situation, in which many democratic countries are turning inward, could lead to a power vacuum. Forces seeking to unjustly seize territory and resources may grow even stronger.

China has repeatedly intruded into Japan’s territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands. Recently, it has deployed aircraft carriers in the western Pacific and conducted takeoff and landing drills with carrier-based aircraft.

North Korea is said to be seeking to improve its nuclear and missile capabilities in exchange for sending troops to Russia, which has continued its aggression against Ukraine. Japan cannot let its guard down.

How to avoid a power vacuum

In light of the deteriorating security environment, Japan plans to increase its defense spending to 2% of its gross domestic product. Meanwhile, European countries are moving toward raising their military expenses, including their defense-related public works spending, to 5%.

What defense efforts should Japan make to protect its security? It is necessary to deepen the discussion not only within the government but also among the ruling and opposition parties.

Trump has expressed dissatisfaction that, under the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, the United States is obliged to defend Japan while Japan has no such reciprocal obligation.

The costs Japan bears for U.S. bases stationed in Japan far exceed those of other U.S. allies. Trump’s claims are unacceptable. The government must persistently explain the immense benefits the Japan-U.S. alliance brings to the United States.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 15, 2025)