Since the end of World War II, the United States has maintained its position at the center of world affairs but its leadership has reached its limits. We are now in a period of transition to establish a new order. The world has become more and more multi-polar and nationalism has become dominant in various places. Against the background of this global situation, Japan should build strategic relationships multilaterally with different countries rather than exclusively depending on the United States.

Historically speaking, when Japan has connected with the world, Northeast Asian countries have served as geopolitical gateways. It would not be possible to think about Japan in relation to the wider world without taking into account the relationship with the Northeast Asian region. All the more because Japan has a long and close history with these neighboring countries, there are difficult diplomatic issues embedded in the relationship. On the other hand, such a long relationship entails many cultural similarities, which gives us hope that it will be possible to address issues that seem difficult to resolve.

When the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake hit Japan, affected people lined up in an orderly fashion to wait their turn to receive supplies. Not a single riot occurred. This behavior was highly applauded by people around the world. This indicates that the spirit of bushido, which has long been passed down in Japanese society, is once again appreciated around the world. In the ongoing efforts of Japan and the Japanese people to expand their contributions to the international community, we need to rethink the identity of the Japanese people and hold an accurate view of the world and history.

For our generation to fulfill our responsibility to future generations, fiscal and other reforms are important. What is equally or even more important is for us to maintain Japan’s proper position in the world and ensure a fair assessment of the country. To leave misunderstandings or false impressions uncorrected would be extremely irresponsible to our descendants. We need to continue acting to ensure Japan is assessed fairly.