“Violence does not solve anything” is a Lie

In schools, we are taught to reject violence, and I’m sure we’ve all heard the statement “Violence is not a solution” sometime in our life. This is a lie. This statement shows a fundamental lack of understanding of what it’s rejecting. Not TRYING to understand what you are fighting against, is a dangerous premise in an ideological conflict.

The essence of  violence, which makes it dangerous, is that it does “solve” the issue. It solves it forcefully and in an one-sided way, and overrides any logic or reason. The winner takes all by brute force, and is privileged to form the truth and history with a carte blanche.

In the same line with the misguided slogan against violence, Japan’s pacifist stance also stems from not understanding peace and war. It ritualistically encourages peace without a specific strategy.  However, war has existed throughout history, and for a reason: conflict is part of human nature, and sadly,  violence has been the only last-resort “solution” to this.  Without thoroughly understanding the dynamics of peace and war, Japan does not know what to do when a foreign agression is at the gates.  It is not equipped with any contingency plans for this either.

On that end, the only “strategy” Japan has clinged onto is the outdated and ineffective US-Japan security treaty.  The premise is that when some bully is beating up Japan, big man America comes to the scene to rescue.  Of course, instead of being capable to deal with violence by itself, it hopes for a proxy war.  But as recent events have shown, US will sneakily back out of the treaty if there is no reason, benefit, or resources to fight a war, and rightfully so.  Who would want to spend time, money and blood to protect a aging and shrinking nation, from an growing and charismatic nation that holds the key to the prosperity of US?

Nobody buys a limp Peace Declarations and Nuclear Arms Reduction

During the Senkaku crisis, PM Kan Naoto held a speech to get rid of all nuclear weapons at the UN.  This ritualistic assertion must have had the opposite effect.  Advocating not having a nuclear deterrent while having no clear clear for its pacifist vison, will not sell. Japan is full of bruises and bumps from foreign pressure at this point. If a mangled, beaten up guy came along and asked for you to not have any protection, because its safer that way, would you believe him, or run to the nearest gun store to stock up?