"GFJ Commentary" introduces news analyses andopinions in Japan on the relations of Japan with therest of the world, but they do not represent the views ofGFJ as an institution.

October 19, 2012

A bluff is the best way to approach Japanese
By FUJINAGA Takeshi
Recently, I have often recalled what Professor Donald Zagoria of Columbia University told
me about twenty years ago. Ivan Kovalenko, who happened to visit the United States at thattime, said at a meeting attended by many Americans, “Japanese people are servile to power. If
you bluff them, they will certainly give way.” His remark surprised all the people present. Mr.
Kovalenko is widely‐known for having directed brainwashing operations for Japaneseprisoners of war in Siberia immediately after WWII in his capacity as Chief of the JapaneseSection in the International Department of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union(CPSU). Heis also notorious for having “ordered” the then Hokkaido Governor Dogakinai to remove asignboard saying, “Return the Russian‐occupied Northern Islands!” in Sapporo and having
been rejected when he came to Japan in 1976.

The above story is an excerpt from what Japan Forum on International Relations President
Kenichi Ito wrote in the “Seiron” column of the last February 28 edition of the Sankei. I
introduced this story here because I think it is worth remembering as a Japanese. Kovalenko
acted as the chief editor for Japanese Newspaper for Japanese detainees in Siberia after WorldWar II. He conducted special operations to make Japanese prisoners of war friendly to theSoviet. Subsequently, he played a central role in policy formulation for Japan as the deputy chiefof the international department of the Soviet Union’s Communist Party and he is known as a
devotee of intimidating diplomacy for Japan. Behind his remark was his viewpoint of Japan that
had been formed through his long‐year direct contacts with Japanese people.

Now, our neighboring countries are becoming increasingly aggressive toward Japan.
However, it is clear that the Democratic party of Japan’s diplomacy is a series of blunders. The
Democratic party of Japan deteriorated Japan’s relationship with the United States. The DPJ
allowed Russian prime minister to visit one of Russian‐occupied northern islands and also
allowed China to repeatedly intervene in the Senkaku islands. In addition, the DPJ also could
not prevent South Korean president from landing on Takeshima. With regard to the abduction
issue as well, Japan has been given continuous brush‐offs by North Korea. These neighboring
countries are following Kovalenko’s remark that a bluff is the best way to approach Japanese.
More helplessly, public criticism of neighboring countries’ aggression against Japan and thegovernment’s weak‐kneed response is not shaping a major tied among the Japanese. A

considerable number of Japanese just call for the slogan of constitutional “pacifism,”“determined to preserve our security and existence, trusting in the justice and faith of thepeace‐loving peoples of the world.” The primary focus of Japanese diplomacy seems to be to“beat around the bush” and “not rock the boat” instead of protecting national interests to theextent that Japan will not be exposed to complaints.

Philosopher Michitaro Tanaka argues in one of his books, Contemporary Political Interest,
that if peace can be guaranteed only by the so‐called pacifist constitution, it may have been wise
to prohibit the arrival of typhoons as well by the constitution. This is a sharp irony to postwar
unrealistic pacifism.

From now onward, it is extremely unlikely that major countries will start wars by directly
exerting their military powers and it can be said that such cases will be almost zero. However, if
Japan does not have the strong grit to fight when they really need to and has just a weakmilitary capability, which is a physical representation of the will to fight, the country is likely to
be forced to give in without fighting. Before the collapse of the bubble economy and the fall of
the Cold War structure, Japan overwhelmed China in military capability and could say, “If youwant to beat me, do it.” However, neither the Japanese government nor the Japanese public now
have the will to “mobilize the Self‐Defense Forces.” Neighboring countries see through such
Japanese mentality and the Self‐Defense Forces cannon exert their power even as “deterrence.”
Kovalenko’s past remark that if you bluff Japanese they will certainly give way is looming large
vividly in our mind.

(This is the English translation of an article written by FUJINAGA Takeshi, theReservistsʹ Blue‐Ribbon Association Secretary, which originally appeared on the BBS
ʺGiron‐Hyakushutsuʺ of GFJ on September 22, 2012.)