A group of Chinese-Americans, called “Concerned Citizens on U.S. Policy Towards Japan,” wrote a letter addressed to U.S. President Barack Obama calling for the rejection of Japan’s request for support and assistance regarding the disputed Senkaku Islands. Drafted by University of Southern California professor, Wenji V. Chang, who is also a Chinese-American, the group points out that Japan is merely attempting to revise its pacifist constitution.
Chang believes that the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Washington this month will have a massive effect on the peace, stability and prosperity of the countries in the Pacific. He felt that it was necessary to inform Obama of his people’s concerns and to make a public call for him to reject Japan’s request. In the letter, Chang said that during Abe’s visit, he will ask Obama for support in the Senakaku issue and seek opinion on revising Article 9 of the Japanese constitution, which declares that Japan renounces war as a sovereign right. The letter went on by saying that Abe will justify the request by offering continued support to U.S. military presence in East Asia.
The letter warns Obama that Abe’s administration is not a long-term friend of the U.S. It pointed out that Japan will cease to be an ally should Article 9 be revised. It also made reference to 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation, which required Japan to return Chinese territories it had occupied but was never properly executed. Stated in the letter that since Japan does not acknowledge that there is any dispute in the Senkakus, it has in fact shut the door to a meaningful negotiation. It ends by saying that the “U.S. should not become a tool of Japanese ultra-conservatives” and called on fellow citizens to support the group’s stance.
[via Sinchew]