Exclusive for the Daily Outlook Afghanistan
Since there has been some misleading information about the recent visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the Yasukuni Shrine, I believe that it is my responsibility to provide the people of Afghanistan with objective information about the visit and Japan’s firm commitment to pursue everlasting peace.
On 26 December 2013, Prime Minister Abe visited the Yasukuni Shrine. The Yasukuni Shrine is a place where approximately 2.46 million souls of those who sacrificed their lives in the Second World War as well as in other wars and domestic turmoil since 1853, are enshrined regardless of their gender or rank. Upon this visit, Prime Minister Abe issued a statement entitled “Pledge for everlasting peace.” He underlined that the visit was made to pay his respects and pray for the souls of the war dead, renew the pledges never to wage a war again and build an age which is free from the sufferings by the devastation of war. It is far from being true that his visit to the Yasukuni Shrine is a sign of his worshipping Class-A war criminals and praising militarism or Japan’s failing to squarely face the history.
As Prime Minister Abe clearly stated in his statement, Japan has created a free and democratic country and consistently walked the path of peace for the past sixty-eight years after the Second World War. Japan has been playing an active role in the regional and international communities as a peace-loving nation.
Japan has made utmost efforts to build friendly relations with the rest of the world, especially with its Asian neighbors including China. Japan has been pursuing future-oriented friendship and contributing to the development of those countries, while reflecting the past and squarely facing the history. It is unfortunate that recently the relations between Japan and China have been strained especially over the East China Sea. Japan is calling for dialogue between the leaders of Japan and China, and sincerely hopes that China will come forward.
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that Japan has played an active role in the post-Cold War World order. It is particularly noteworthy that Japan has played a leading role in peace-building and post conflict recovery in countries including most notably Afghanistan.
I am pleased to note that the people of Japan have enjoyed cordial relations with the Afghan people. Japan has supported the self-reliance of Afghanistan by implementing development assistance which is equivalent to approximately 5 billion US dollars since 2001. In 2012, Japan hosted Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan for the second time, in which representatives of 55 countries and 25 organizations participated. The conference established the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework (TMAF), which is a mutual commitment of Afghanistan and the international community to reaffirm their partnership in the economic growth and development of Afghanistan. The Government of Japan took that opportunity to announce a commitment to provide assistance equivalent of up to 3 billion dollars in following five years.
In the past Japan caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly in Asia. Japan repeatedly expressed heartfelt apology to them. After the Second World War, Japan has been vigorously pursuing long lasting peace, based on the remorse over the past and also with a forward looking vision; Japan’s long-standing commitment of renouncing war will not change; Japan will continue to make efforts to build friendly relations with neighboring countries; and Japan will play a more proactive role in global peace and stability including working on peace-building and post conflict recovery as an extension of the path Japan has taken as a peace-loving nation.
Hiroshi Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan