Scotland, Japan and Korea

HM the Emperor in Scotland

Next week Scotland will hold a referendum on whether or not to leave the United Kingdom and become an independent country (or at least as "independent" as one can be within the European Union). The coalition supporting this movement are certainly no friends of monarchy or time-honored Scottish traditions. The "Yes" vote supporters consist of socialists, communists, Irish republicans and people who have simply made a habit of hating England. Given the disreputable characters who support the break-up of the United Kingdom, it should probably be no surprise that the dictator of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un, recently came out in support of Scottish "independence" (see this article in the Daily Mail). This should be reason enough on its own for anyone in Japan to support the "No" vote. Elements in Russia have also voiced support for Scottish so-called "independence" because they feel it will strengthen the position of the pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine in terms of world opinion as they try to claim independence from the rest of the country (prior to joining Russia outright or in all but name). What does this have to do with Japan? Indirectly, more than one might think, especially with the position of powers such as Russia and North Korea. These countries support the break-up of the United Kingdom because they want to see countries like the UK weakened. As a friendly country with a long history of good relations between the Japanese Imperial Family and the British Royal Family, the dissolution of the United Kingdom is something Japan should oppose for the same reasons that powers like North Korea support it.

There is also the concern of this idea becoming fashionable and that is something that could cause Japan considerable trouble. Many news reports are already circulating about the example a "Yes" vote in Scotland could set for independence-movements in Quebec in Canada, in the Catalan region of the Kingdom of Spain or for Flanders in the Kingdom of Belgium. There are plenty of other examples as well. Consider the so-called "Ryukyu Independence Movement" (琉球独立運動). Here also is a former kingdom that was united with another monarchy and which existing countries today would like to see push for independence as a way of weakening Japan. Only recently, elements in China said that the Ryukyus should not be considered part of Japan at all. It would be very easy to imagine China giving active support (perhaps clandestinely) to a pro-independence movement in the Ryukyus both as a way of weakening Japan and to gain control of the Senkakus without risking war with Japan and the United States. All of these are reasons why the loyal monarchists of Japan and the United Kingdom should stand together in opposing these secessionist movements. It is a dangerous world and countries which are successful always attract enemies and if these enemies lack the courage to oppose a country openly, they will do it with subterfuge by supporting movements that make their enemies weaker and leave them open to outside manipulation. Now is the time for monarchist solidarity, support the "No" vote in Scotland!

(Also, notice in the Daily Mail article the source of Koreans in Japan who are loyal to the DPRK, a foreign power, rather than being loyal to HM the Emperor. Traitors in one country supporting the traitors in another country.)

Was Churchill Behind the U.S.-Japan War?

Recently declassified documents from the U.K. have raised new questions and brought new information to light regarding the part played by British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the outbreak of World War II in the Pacific. These documents show that Churchill was made aware ahead of time by British intelligence that the Imperial Japanese military was moving in to parts of Vietnam (French Indochina) to establish bases. This was done as part of the on-going, undeclared war with the Republic of China because of the vast amounts of supplies and war materials being sent to Chiang Kai-shek through Indochina. However, it made Churchill nervous about the vulnerability of British colonies in the region such as Malaysia and Singapore because British strength was focused on fighting the Germans in the skies over Britain, in the Atlantic and in North Africa. He was afraid that if Japan expanded further in Southeast Asia or if subject peoples tried to rise up against their British colonial rulers in the expectation of having Japanese support, he would be unable to take action to maintain British rule. So, what did he do?

It seems from these reports that Churchill obtained some documents from a low-level Japanese officer serving in China about the possibility of Japanese expansion into Southeast Asia. Now, it must be kept firmly in mind, that this was one report from one officer in the field and not a statement of official policy or an official plan from the Imperial Japanese Army or the government in Tokyo. However, it seems that Prime Minister Churchill took this report and passed it on to American President Roosevelt as if it were an official policy statement of Japan in regards to what the Empire of Japan was planning for southeast Asia. As a result of this, so the line of thinking goes, Roosevelt began to put more pressure on Japan, diplomatically and economically, to totally reverse Japanese foreign policy and so began the provocation to the outbreak of war between the United States and Japan. Of course, given what is known about Roosevelt and his administration, it can be wondered just how much prompting he would have needed as it seems he was anxious to involve the United States in the war in Europe and simply used Japan as a means to that end. However, it seems all the more tragic if this is true because it would mean that Churchill provoked a war out of fear of losing British colonies when Japan had no intention of any further expansion at all and only occupied parts of Indochina in the pursuit of the on-going war with republican China. It will be interesting to see if any more information is released concerning this period of history although, based on past experience, few people will pay attention or allow the facts to influence their already established misconceptions about the outbreak of World War II in the Asia-Pacific area.

Anglo-Japanese Friendship

HM the Emperor and Prince Philip inspect a guard of honor

TM the Emperor and Empress are greeted by

the Queen and Prince Philip

HM the Emperor and Queen Elizabeth II

HIH Crown Prince Hirohito in Edinburgh in 1921

HIH Crown Prince Hirohito with British Prime

Minister Lloyd George in 1921

HIH Crown Prince Hirohito with King George V

the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII)

in samurai clothes on a visit to Japan

HIH Crown Prince Hirohito and the Prince of Wales

Anglo-Japanese friendship souvenir

The Prince of Wales visits Japan

HIH Crown Prince Hirohito and

the Prince of Wales in Japan