Japan a Positive Counterexample in Age of Revisionism; Changes to World Order Should be Peaceful, Not Forced

By Sergiy Korsunsky / Special to The Japan News

7:00 JST, April 12, 2025

Sergiy Korsunsky, the Ukrainian ambassador to Japan 2020-2025, has worked tirelessly since the start of Russia’s aggression against his country in February 2022 to convey the historic importance of Kyiv’s resistance and to call on Japanese public opinion to stand with Ukraine. As he completed his intense five-year mission in Japan, the ambassador made the following contribution to The Japan News.

We live in an era of revisionism. Amazingly, these efforts come simultaneously from Washington, Beijing and Moscow, although in different forms. These three nuclear powers, permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, could use all the regular ways and means to change the existing rules. But they have chosen approaches that destroy those rules.

This confronts Europe and East Asia with many challenges. Connected by history and strong economic ties, European nations, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand should unite to protect and develop the principles of peaceful coexistence based on law, mutual respect and diplomacy rather than on numbers of nuclear warheads, warships and military airplanes.

This does not necessarily mean that these principles must be preserved unchanged. There is nothing wrong with attempting to change the way things are. But such attempts must be made in the spirit of completely rejecting the use of force, as expressed in Article 9 of Japan’s Constitution. Force must not again be made the ultimate instrument of foreign relations.

The world must finally grow up, moving beyond a kindergarten playground where bigger and physically stronger kids rule. Being under threat, smaller kids can learn martial arts to defend themselves or develop the ability to avoid confrontation in a smart way. In times of forcible change, someone must be both smart and a guardian.

Japan can and must play a more important role in the creation of a new world order by setting an example of a responsible attitude toward the past, peaceful coexistence in the present and a philosophy of law and justice-based order for the future.

It is not just nuclear weapons but lawlessness that poses the greatest danger in the age of revisionism. It is not a revision of the existing order that brings danger but substitution of rules applicable equally to everyone with a brutal imposition of will when one man or small group of accomplices decides everything and threatens everyone else who disagrees.

Japan has so many things it can share with the world to set a better example.

First is its thorough political responsibility and intolerance toward all forms of corruption. Holders of public offices are kept accountable and must behave in a flawless manner or resign.

Second is the respect shown even toward enemies, and a quiet but strong resistance to provocations.

Third is Japan’s legendary attention to detail when it comes to implementation of rules and agreements.

Fourth is its philosophy of coexistence with nature and its neighbors, meaning a firm rejection of changes to the status quo by force.

Finally, fifth, is Japan’s responsible attitude toward economic development when consumption is not at the center of GDP growth. The legendary social responsibility of Japan’s businesses is a great asset too, as it creates a more cohesive society compared to wild capitalism with huge disproportions in income distribution and a political power system based on the interests of oligarchs.

The Japanese people are well known for their respectful but critical attitude toward their own government. But everything is relative. Only when we compare things, people, situations or feelings we can evaluate their true value. Safety, cleanness and quality of infrastructure are not considered as contributors to GDP, but they are definitely characteristics of a successful nation.

The soft power of Japan can bring changes to other nations by setting an example. Therefore, it is important not to fall into such traps as the economy of consumption, a disrespectful attitude toward the elderly, and — most of all — the temptation to use force for selfish national interests. No society is perfect, but those where people respect and value each other set better examples than those who ignite wars, conduct terrorism and promote the humiliation of others. The world must learn the simple formula “I exist because you exist.”

Changing the way things are is acceptable if it does not assume the use of force to substitute one imperfect world order with another. China put forward several strategic documents presenting a vision of the future. If only China would avoid endless threats to Taiwan, abstain from harassing coastal nations of the South China Sea, peacefully resolve border issues with India and other nations, and respect diversity, then there might be some support for its vision.

Russia has not presented any vision except a pure reincarnation of fascism. Russia’s version of revisionism is based on a formula that others in the world must accept “great Russia” or disappear. Mentions of multipolarity, mantras invoking the Global South and proclamations of the supremacy of Orthodox Christian values create a veil for its brutal ambitions. War is a form of Russia’s existence. Russia’s campaign of forcible change of the world order is a clear and present danger to humanity.

The most unexpected tsunami of revisionism came from the White House. U.S. President Donald Trump put forward an agenda that completely contradicts not just the policy of his predecessor, but the 200-year-old story of the United States itself. “America First” will definitely bring consequences for everyone, including for the United States. There is no need to discuss this radical American shift in detail. Literally everything the liberal world order was based upon is being reconsidered. “America First” is moving toward “America alone.” The beacon of freedom is already fading away and soon enough it might be extinguished completely.

Japan, in partnership with like-minded nations, can pick up the torch and carry it on. We should not underestimate Japan.