ed Revenge for terrorism

Hostage killings are poor excuses for military expansion

When it became all but certain last weekend that Islamic State extremists killed a second Japanese hostage, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed “to make the terrorists pay the price.” This reaction was closer to outrage than grief, similar to that shown by former U.S. President George W. Bush immediately after 9/11.

It was only natural that Prime Minister Abe, like most other Japanese people and many foreigners, could not hide his anger over these most savage and atrocious acts of violence perpetrated against innocent civilians. That was a glaring crime against humanity that can be neither justified nor forgiven.

This notwithstanding, the resolute pledge of revenge coming from a Japanese leader was somewhat unfamiliar to people who have been more accustomed to the pacifist image of the island nation and its leaders. Also unexpected was Tokyo’s refusal to pay ransoms risking the lives of the hostages. Japan was closer to the U.S. and U.K. in this regard than to European countries which gave money to save their people.

The Korean government has expressed, rightly, deep sympathy to the Japanese victims, as well as pledged to fight against extremists along with Tokyo and the rest of the international community.

Yet this should be based upon the premise that the Japanese government would not veer off too widely from its pacifist stance and confine its role to nonmilitary operations. This explains why many Koreans might have felt more than a little uncomfortable when Prime Minister Abe stressed that Tokyo should be able to exercise its right to collective self-defense even when Japan and its people suffer damages as a result of its allies conducting preemptive attacks.

“We should be able to use our armed forces to protect our people’s lives and assets,” said the Japanese leader.

If this remark was aimed to just mollify the fury and grief of the Japanese people, foreigners could hardly take issue with this. However, if Abe is really serious to turn it into action by amending the Article 9 of the country’s peace constitution that calls for renouncing the use of military power under any circumstances except when the country is under direct attack, Japan’s neighbors could hardly shake off their suspicions that Tokyo is about to use the hostage killings as a pretext for beefing up its military.

And that would bring more harm than good for Japan, and the world.

Going back to the hostage crisis, it would have been all but impossible for the SDF to rescue the hostages even if they were allowed to use military means, as seen by the failures of both America and Britain to do so. Japan’s nationalists also need to recall the spirit of the victims _ especially that of journalist Kenji Goto who had always wished for a world free from war, as well as his mother’s appeal for “severing the chain reaction of anger and hatred.” If the Japanese leader attempts to ride on nationalist sentiments to realize his lifelong desire for a revision of his nation’s constitution, it would be a disgrace to the dedicated and courageous journalist.

All peace-loving people of the world will be watching Abe’s next move.