On high alert for Abe's escalating rightist rhetoric

The international community should be on high alert for the escalating rightist rhetoric of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose provocative remarks during his recent U.S. trip constituted an outright challenge to the bottom-line of human morality.

For example, when addressing the Hudson Institute in New York last week, Abe said: "so call me, if you want, a right-wing militarist."

It is unbelievable that such senseless and degenerating words, which defied human justice and showed a contempt for the universally-accepted moral principles, were made by a leader of a civilized nation.

Just imagine, if a German politician made similar remarks, what consequences he or she would face? Resignation or even imprisonment.

According to the German law, anyone who publicly "condones, glorifies or justifies" the Nazis risks fines or up to three years in prison.

In fact, this was not the first time Abe's government made such provocative rhetoric.

In August, Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso enraged the world by saying that Japan should follow Nazi Germany to quietly revise the country's constitution. But Abe turned a blind eye to the public call for firing Aso.

Why has Tokyo gone so far as daring to make such rhetoric?

Compared to Germany, Japan has failed to substantially reflect on its aggression history and thus has little expression of remorse. Neither has it bid farewell to militarism through school education, legislation and war indemnity as Germany has pursued.

Meanwhile, Abe played a double-faced game in his remarks on the China-Japan relationship during his U.S. visit.

On one hand, he hyped the so-called "China threat" theory and said Japan would make no concession over the Diaoyu Islands, which is an integral part of Chinese territories. On the other hand, Abe claimed that he is "open to dialogue" with neighbors.

By calling China a threat, the Abe government is trying to find an excuse to cover its dangerous plan for military buildup and constitutional revision.

It is reported that Tokyo is to submit a report by year-end on whether Japan should be allowed to exercise the right of collective self-defense.

As for the "open to dialogue" gesture, it is just a card Abe is playing to deceive the international community.

The reason is simple, how can a dialogue go on if one party continues to make provocative remarks?

In the end, Abe's diplomatic freak show won't enhance his popularity, and if he continues to provoke the neighboring nations with such rightist sourpuss, he will find himself increasingly isolated in the region.