Wall Street Journal Interviews Abe

Link

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe recently sat down and spoke with the Wall Street Journal. In his interview he discusses his opinions on how Japan has approached teaching history since World War II.

Abe suggests that children from Japan are lacking self-confidence and "sense of pride".  He also states that thanks to the alliance with America, Japan has "protected the pace and stability of Japan and the region".

Abe continues to also stress the importance of militarizing Japan. He told WSJ: "if there was an attack against the U.S. destroyer, Japan would not be able to prevent that from happening under the current law, even if Japan had the capability to protect the U.S".

Here is my favorite Abe moment from the interview:
"Americans are really frank when they speak. In Japan, you have to use polite language when you speak with someone senior to you, but I was deeply impressed how in the U.S., even if you’re young, junior or senior, you can talk candidly."

The interview is very interesting, and it is rare to have a transcribed interview like this with a very powerful world leader. I encourage everyone to read the interview. It provides a perspective on the "new" Japan, and how they can impact international relations diplomatically, economically, and militarily.

Abe's mission for this trip is to reinforce strong Japanese-United States relation, and talk about how powerful it is for future generations.