Posted February 27 2008 by Ezra Butler
Japan and Israel, Strikingly Logical Bedfellows
In the weeks following Spielberg’s snubbing of China on humanitarian grounds, and the Israeli Knesset’s recent decision regarding Asian Chefs in Ethnic establishments, we bear witness to an historic meeting of two countries: Japan and Israel.
Iran’s nuclear capabilities and desires have led their former business partner, Japan, to seek greener pastures. Indeed, Japan is interested in Israeli technology for creating the battery operated car, along with other sciences and technologies. It is even helping establish an agro-industrial park in the West Bank to provide jobs to Palestinians, as the AFP briefing reports.
Greener pastures indeed.
Is this simply a case of common goals, (a la “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”, i.e. The Nuclear Duo: North Korea and Iran) or is it something deeper?
For example, Japan means “Sun-Origin” (and is called the “Land of the Rising Sun”) and an Israeli researcher in Be’er Sheba recently created a more efficient solar panel.
A non-reliance on oil would be very beneficial to both countries, and to each country’s standing in the industrialized world.
Both Japan and Israel have very few (if any) natural resources, are on the cutting edge of science and technology, and eat sushi. World War II changed the world for both these countries, Japan having been the only country that has ever been attacked with a nuclear device, and Israel being established largely because of the Holocaust. Both countries have grown beyond leaps and bounds and have contributed tremendously to the international intellectual community. The concept of territorial disputes is not foreign to Japan, however, “Japan’s military is restricted by the Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, which renounces Japan’s right to declare war or use military force as a means of settling international disputes”. Such an outlook seems to jive well with Israel’s current pro-peace outlook, and reminds me of the Israel-Lebanon offensive in 1982, and the associated shock that arose with the public with that.
In my estimation, as both countries have a lot to offer to each other, this “pact” bears the possibility of real cooperation, and I am personally looking forward to seeing this play out over the next few years.
Now, if only we can extend the cultural cooperation to sending Shwarma, Shishkabobs, and Hummus to Tokyo. (And, of course, get more sushi in return…)
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