Singapore welcomes Japan’s military role?

At the Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Fullerton Forum held on 13 Jan 14, Singapore’s Minister Ng Eng Hen told the Japanese to ‘assure her neighbours as it beefs up military’. Japan is rearming, the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has visited the Yasukuni Shrine, a symbol of Japanese militarism, and sending out a message that Japan is proud of its militant past and aggression against East and Southeast Asian countries. The Japanese PM is paying homage and honouring the Japanese soldiers and war criminals who committed brutal and barbaric aggression against Japan’s neighbours in WW2, including colonizing Singapore and brutalizing its population with hundreds of thousands murdered in broad daylight.
 
Only China and the two Koreans were fuming at this act of defiance and treachery by the Japanese PM. The other Asian countries have not breathed a word. Many must have forgotten or forgiven the Japanese for their invasion, looting and bombing and atrocities against their countries.
 
Now Japan is rearming, just like it was before it invaded Asia and SE Asia. Japan’s military strength is second only to China and could easily do a repeat of WW2. No one is protesting except of course China and the Koreas. The rest of the Asian and SE Asian countries do not believe that they would be invaded by Japan again and in a way supported, or tacitly supported the rise of a new militant Japan.
 
Does Singapore also forget what the Japanese did to its people, ruling the island by force and coercion? Does Singapore also support a strong militant Japan that could do another Syonanto? The memories of the vicious Japanese hordes here and the pain they inflicted, the lives they murdered in broad daylight are still vivid to many who are still alive. Many may want to forgive the barbarity of the Japanese, but would we want to encourage another militant Japan?
 
Should the world stop the rearmament of Japan? With the new geopolitical forces in play, with the Americans needing the Japanese to fight a proxy war to contain China, no one, not even the Americans that suffered a Pearl Harbour would mind having a strong military Japan.
 
The forces and factors that could lead to a WW3 are in the making with the tacit approval of all the victims of past Japanese aggression. Japan has dropped its pledge on not going to war. The Pacifist Constitution is being annulled and revamped to allow Japan to conduct wars. Thanks to their American minders who are so happy to have Japan as their top fighting dog. If there is retribution, let’s hope Japan will nuke the USA one day.
 
PS. Why are we reacting so strongly to the Indonesians naming a naval ship after two terrorists who killed 3 people and wound 33 while condoning Japan’s remilitarization and the honouring of war criminals by their Prime Minister in Yasukuni?