Japan Institute for National Fundamentals

　　　　　U.S. or Chinese military movements in the South and East China Seas have been reported almost every day on newspapers and magazines in or out of Japan, and on the Internet. China flew military aircraft to an artificial island in the South China Sea at the beginning of this year and deployed surface-to-air missiles on the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea in February. Furthermore, it is constructing radar facilities on the Spratly Islands. China has intentionally used U.S. reconnaissance satellites to demonstrate these operations as established facts.
　　　　　The United States differentiates itself from Japan decisively by taking up such Chinese moves in the legislative branch. While U.S. President Barack Obama reacts to such Chinese moves as a matter of course, the U.S. Senate and House Armed Services Committees promptly call senior officials and military experts to hearings. China’s militarization of the South China Sea can directly lead to Chinese pressure on the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Nevertheless, committees of both houses of Japanese Diet apparently have never discussed these Chinese actions to my disappointment.

U.S. Congress promptly convenes hearings
　　　　　At a hearing convened by the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on February 23, Commander of U.S. Pacific Command Adm. Harry Harris pointed out that China is seeking hegemony in East Asia and warned that China has been trying to transform the South China Sea into its forward deployment base. The commander emphasized the continuation of the freedom of navigation operation to send U.S. naval ships to the South China Sea and obtained Congressional endorsement on the operation. Since the Obama administration has been hesitant on military operations while advocating the Asia rebalancing policy, the Congressional endorsement can encourage the U.S. military.
　　　　　Congress, based on the Defense Authorization Act, has also had the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) prepare the Asia-Pacific Rebalance 2025 report and discussed it with experts including its senior vice president Michael Green representing the authors of the report. The legislature has taken up the report’s proposal for the deployment of two carrier strike groups in Asia for talks with the Pentagon.
　　　　　As Congress makes all laws in the United States, its members are called lawmakers. They feel responsible for making laws and sensitive to changes in the international situation. Congressional committees immediately convene hearings on these changes.

Nagata-cho lawmakers busy with politics
　　　　　The South China Sea situation has a direct link to the East China Sea. While the world has paid attention to China’s monopolization of the South China Sea, Chinese government ships have increased their presence in waters around the Senkaku Islands. These ships entering Japanese territorial waters around the Senkakus are armed with machine guns and their sizes have grown larger, raising doubt that they could be disguised naval frigates.
　　　　　Nevertheless, the House of Representatives Committee on Security ended its meeting in only 30 minutes on the morning of February 23 after receiving explanation from Defense Minister Gen Nakatani about defense budget and North Korea’s recent missile launch. The Committee on Foreign Affairs received explanations by Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on the international situation at a meeting that lasted for only 15 minutes on February 24. The House of Councilors Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense has never met since January 28. Japanese lawmakers in Nagata-cho were busy with talking about the integration of opposition parties, putting aside problems linked to the safety and prosperity of the Japanese people.

Hiroshi Yuasa is a Planning Committee Member at the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals and a columnist for the Sankei Shimbun.