Well, the USA is finally ready for the much-awaited new start. And I believe Barack Obama is the best element of “soft power” for the USA. He embodies democracy, opportunity and equality. Here are some of my initial thoughts about his election.

The majority of the Japanese for Obama
Some pundits in America allege that the Japanese elite prefer the Republicans. True, some of the Japanese still remember the Japan bashing by the Clinton administration. But this time the majority of the Japanese, especially the younger ones, have been for Obama. This was clear in the small opinion poll in this blog, too. Incidentally, Japan has several Obamas; cities by the name of Obama. One of them, an ancient port city located in Fukui prefecture, has even been campaigning for Obama’s victory. They organized a special hula dance team for Mr. Obama.

(To see their hula dance please click http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20081105-00000015-maip-soci)

Apart from being amusing, I have to note that the Japanese people were eager to see a change, a substantial change in US policy. I and many others were very much disappointed by the fact that the ideas of freedom and democracy had been discredited after the Iraq War.

Japan lives on freedom of speech, transparency and accountability in politics, and global free trade. Therefore, I am looking forward to seeing that Japan as the world’s second largest economy be able to join forces with the new US administration under Mr. Obama.

Japan as a natural friend for the USA
The number of ethnic Japanese in America is not large. But they are wonderful citizens. They can be open and dynamic, as many other Americans are, while keeping the Japanese traditional virtues: honesty, modesty and diligence.

Japanese-built companies and factories in the US now offer no more than one million jobs to the Americans. Indeed, most “Japanese” cars sold in the US are made in America. When Japanese financial companies recently acquired shares of Lehman Brothers and Morgan Stanley, it did not rouse a negative repercussion as a similar act did fifteen years ago.

Japan has become a more natural member of the American community.

What is Japan up to?
Japan’s contribution for the economic development and maintenance of political stability is not so visible, and yet very substantial in many countries. First of all, construction of economic infrastructure (ports, railways, highways, power stations, communication lines and many others) by Japan’s official development aid has played vital roles in realizing the taking-off of many economies (especially in Asia). Japan has accorded 30 billion dollars of low-interest official loans to China and will confer 4 billion dollars of soft loans to India for construction of the railway between Delhi and Mumbai. Economic development brings individual freedom and democracy, as the cases in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan demonstrate.

Direct investment by Japanese companies, too, has been playing a pivotal role in lifting the economies of China and ASEAN countries. In reforming the global monetary and financial infrastructure, Japan can play an important role. Japan’s economy is largely sustained by the real economy, that is, industrial production, so it remains more or less robust against the background of the global financial difficulty.

The use by the American Forces of the bases in Japan has vital meaning not only for Japan’s security but also for US strategy and the maintenance of stability in all of Asia.
Japan, though, has a large constraint on the deployment of its own self-defense forces abroad. This limitation has been imposed on Japan by the USA after the war, but today it is supported by the majority of the Japanese. Therefore, Japan’s contribution in this field will stay limited to sending the Self-Defense Forces for UN-endorsed PKOs abroad.

The USA is a part of Asia
Whomever I talk to in Asia, be it China, South Korea or ASEAN countries, they tell me that they highly evaluate the US presence in Asia, although most of them do not hide their apprehension about the Iraqi war. For them (and for Japan, too) the USA is the guarantor of global free trade, which is much needed for the further development of Asia, and it is the guarantor of political stability in the region.

The US’s trade with Asia is now larger than its trade with Europe. Business in Asia has become the largest source of profit for many American companies. Therefore, the USA is already an indispensable part of Asia. An open, free and prosperous USA can work as a benchmark for the economic and social development of many Asian countries, which still have to shed the authoritarian traits in their society.

Big powers like China, Russia and India are important. But overdependence on any of them would jeopardize the balance of power and eventually will limit the freedom of action of the USA in the region. Japan in this sense would be a suitable partner for the USA.

In Europe, you have to keep a balance between powers like Britain, France, Germany, Italy and other countries. In East Asia, too, Japan, China, South Korea and other countries and regions should be reckoned with.

Copyright ©2008.11 Akio KAWATO