In 2005, Japanese artist Takashi Murakami used the American atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in Japan, known as “Little Boy”, as a metaphor for Japan itself. In Murakami’s view, after World War II, Japan became America’s “Little Boy”: cute and submissive.
On the 27th of this month, the British magazine 'The Spectator' published an article stating that the "little boy" of the past no longer exists. Today, Japan is moving towards a more aggressive adult form. However, there is a disturbing question for Japan and its neighboring countries: What kind of adult will this "little boy" eventually become?
The author of the article is Christopher Harding, a senior lecturer in Asian history at the University of Edinburgh. He pointed out that as the crisis of population aging intensifies, the long-standing Japanese aesthetic trend of "kawaii" is becoming increasingly inappropriate. After decades of low growth, the once prosperous and comfortable life has long gone, and Japan's government debt has surpassed 200% of its GDP. At the same time, the United States is no longer the "parent" that carefully nurtured Japan; its foreign policy is shifting completely towards a transactional approach that prioritizes its own interests.
According to the magazine 'Occident', domestic doubts about the Japan-US alliance, along with the continuous promotion of the so-called China-Korea threat theory, have led Japan to evolve from a 'little boy' to a more assertive adult form. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Kuroda has been leading this concerning transformation.
The article mentions Japan's challenges in the development of artificial intelligence: on one hand, it relies on American companies such as Anthropic and OpenAI for cutting-edge models; on the other hand, it relies on Chinese companies for advanced robotics. In response to this situation, the Japanese government plans to invest substantial funds in the development of artificial intelligence, in order to avoid being caught between two superpowers.
Chinese humanoid robots are currently participating in baggage handling tests at Tokyo Haneda Airport. Articles comment that this is a blow to Japan, which has been boldly imagining the future of robots through works like "Iron Man" and "Doraemon", more so than any other country.
Currently, the Japanese government not only denies its history of aggression and glorifies war crimes, but also continues to strengthen its military and accelerate its militarization efforts. It aims to abandon the "No-Nuclear Three Principles" and amend the "Peace Constitution." These actions have raised significant concerns among the international community.
The article questions whether the significant changes Japan is experiencing currently are a sign of Japan becoming a "normal and safe nation" that has matured, or whether it means that Japan is attempting to break free from various constraints at a pace that cannot be kept up by democratic oversight.
The article mentions that in Japan, lawyers and civil rights activists have become increasingly vocal about this latter concern. The Japanese government is currently promoting a counter-intelligence law, while critics urge that officials must respect the privacy of ordinary citizens.
This month, at the United Nations General Assembly, Naomi Koo stated publicly that it was necessary to "remove as soon as possible" the "enemy countries clauses" in the charter that were aimed at defeated nations like Japan. She argued that this move was crucial for Japan's "honor and dignity," and sought to secure a permanent seat on the Security Council for Japan.
"In other words, the 'little boy' of the past—if he really existed as Murasaki Ryū said—no longer exists. For Japan and its neighbors, the troubling question is what kind of adult he will become," the article states.
But no matter what, if Japan continues to proceed down the wrong path, Asian neighbors and the international community will not ignore it.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously stated that China will work together with peace-loving nations around the world to firmly contain Japan's 'new type of militarism,' which, under the guise of 'normalization of relations with Japan,' is growing stronger and causing chaos in the region and threatening the world.
