Whales and Asian Geopolitics
11/25/07 14:22 Filed in: Geopolitics
A recent post in the NY Times blog Dot Earth talked
about the unpopularity of Japanese whaling amongst
various countries and Japan's insistence on whaling
for scientific purposes. While whale meat is not
often eaten in Japan --- for disclosure purposes, I
ate it once when I lived in Japan, I believe that
Japan's insistence on its right to whaling has more
to do with geopolitics than culture or food.
The security of a nation is determined by (1) its ability to defend its borders and (2) access to the raw materials necessary to keep its economy going and its people fed, clothed, sheltered, etc. As an island nation with one of the largest militaries in the region, Japan can easily defend itself against invasion. As found out by American forces during WWII, an invasion of Japan would be a costly and painful undertaking.
However, Japan has its weakness. It has a paucity of natural resources and depends on external trade to be self-sufficient. Oil from the Middle East, minerals from South Pacific, food from America...Japan needs to have access to trade routes and the ability to project power to protect those trade routes. Currently, Japan relies heavily on its relationship with the United States to ensure that supply lines are open and flowing. If this were ever to change, then Japan would need to build up the capability to project its power further from the Japanese mainland.
I think that Japan's defiance of the whaling commission is its way to say no to the rest of the world and that it will not be pushed around when it comes to supplying itself with the necessary resources to thrive. Also, this is a way for the government to build nationalist pride in its people. It is easier to push the buttons on a historically and culturally significant activity like whaling than to get people excited about protecting trade routes!
Is this just idle chatter? Just think about this...the embargo of Japan and its need for a Western-pacific hegemony is what put the US and Japan on a collision course during WWII. Is another war coming...not likely as long as the US and Japanese interests remained aligned.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/24/the-song-of-the-hunted-humpback-whale/
The security of a nation is determined by (1) its ability to defend its borders and (2) access to the raw materials necessary to keep its economy going and its people fed, clothed, sheltered, etc. As an island nation with one of the largest militaries in the region, Japan can easily defend itself against invasion. As found out by American forces during WWII, an invasion of Japan would be a costly and painful undertaking.
However, Japan has its weakness. It has a paucity of natural resources and depends on external trade to be self-sufficient. Oil from the Middle East, minerals from South Pacific, food from America...Japan needs to have access to trade routes and the ability to project power to protect those trade routes. Currently, Japan relies heavily on its relationship with the United States to ensure that supply lines are open and flowing. If this were ever to change, then Japan would need to build up the capability to project its power further from the Japanese mainland.
I think that Japan's defiance of the whaling commission is its way to say no to the rest of the world and that it will not be pushed around when it comes to supplying itself with the necessary resources to thrive. Also, this is a way for the government to build nationalist pride in its people. It is easier to push the buttons on a historically and culturally significant activity like whaling than to get people excited about protecting trade routes!
Is this just idle chatter? Just think about this...the embargo of Japan and its need for a Western-pacific hegemony is what put the US and Japan on a collision course during WWII. Is another war coming...not likely as long as the US and Japanese interests remained aligned.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/24/the-song-of-the-hunted-humpback-whale/
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