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Truly the end of an era. Akihito became emperor in 1989. At that time it seemed humanity was finally ready to put great power conflicts in the past. Akihito rep

Truly the end of an era. Akihito became emperor in 1989. At that time it seemed humanity was finally ready to put great power conflicts in the past. Akihito represented a generation that had experienced the horrors of WWII as children and saw the need to make sure that never happened again. Now as Akihito abdicates, the whispers of great power conflicts are starting again. Old alliances and coalitions that have kept the peace for 70 years are being questioned. Nationalism is rising throughout the world. I hope the new Emperor’s reign will be just as peaceful as his father’s, but I am pessimistic.

moate 8y ago
Peaceful for Japan or the world at large?
- RcouF1uZ4gsC 8y ago
  I think they are tied together. China and the US are the two biggest world powers. Any conflict between them would draw Japan in. Japan also has rivalries with China and North Korea. Any conflict between Japan and one or more of those would draw the US in. If the there is a conflict in the eastern Pacific, Australia would like join in as well. It is also highly likely that the UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Poland will likely join as well and possibly Germany and France.
  - moate 8y ago
    I mean if you're considering his reign a "peaceful time" you're missing all the things that have happened in Africa, the Middle Ease, or Latin America. I think we just have different definitions of "peace" here. Sure, nobody is dropping nukes or waging a world war, but there's still been constant conflicts somewhere.
basetop 8y ago
I think Fukuyama's "End of History..." died a while ago. Actually, it probably never existed and was simply idealized wishful thinking. As they say, there can be no peace without war. What's strange is that we know peace eventually ends. But I also can't see how we can have a war amongst nuclear powers. Could we have a peaceful war? Is it possible? Is that what the cold war was? With the creation of the EU, rising china, resurgence russia, india, ASEAN, africa ( eventually ), the geopolitical landscape is going to change. From a historical, economical and demographic perspective, the geopolitical center should move somewhere in europe or asia from the US eventually. There are 1 billion more chinese. One billion more indians. 500 million more europeans. It is a strange quirk of history that the US is the leader of the world.
- Ntrails 8y ago
  > I also can't see how we can have a war amongst nuclear powers. Could we have a peaceful war? Is it possible? Is that what the cold war was? I'd say the answer is "Look at Syria", proxy wars etc are the current best method for engaging without actually having to fight directly (which just ends super badly as it almost inevitably escalates)
incognition 8y ago
What's really interesting is the selected motto for the new era. On the surface it appears to resemble "continued peace" but careful readers of Japanese understand it had a complete different meaning. It more closely means "ordered" "compliance", as in an order is given and your compliance will keep the peace. Strange times.

moate 8y ago

Peaceful for Japan or the world at large?

RcouF1uZ4gsC 8y ago
I think they are tied together. China and the US are the two biggest world powers. Any conflict between them would draw Japan in. Japan also has rivalries with China and North Korea. Any conflict between Japan and one or more of those would draw the US in. If the there is a conflict in the eastern Pacific, Australia would like join in as well. It is also highly likely that the UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Poland will likely join as well and possibly Germany and France.
- moate 8y ago
  I mean if you're considering his reign a "peaceful time" you're missing all the things that have happened in Africa, the Middle Ease, or Latin America. I think we just have different definitions of "peace" here. Sure, nobody is dropping nukes or waging a world war, but there's still been constant conflicts somewhere.

basetop 8y ago

I think Fukuyama's "End of History..." died a while ago. Actually, it probably never existed and was simply idealized wishful thinking. As they say, there can be no peace without war. What's strange is that we know peace eventually ends. But I also can't see how we can have a war amongst nuclear powers. Could we have a peaceful war? Is it possible? Is that what the cold war was? With the creation of the EU, rising china, resurgence russia, india, ASEAN, africa ( eventually ), the geopolitical landscape is going to change. From a historical, economical and demographic perspective, the geopolitical center should move somewhere in europe or asia from the US eventually. There are 1 billion more chinese. One billion more indians. 500 million more europeans. It is a strange quirk of history that the US is the leader of the world.

Ntrails 8y ago
> I also can't see how we can have a war amongst nuclear powers. Could we have a peaceful war? Is it possible? Is that what the cold war was? I'd say the answer is "Look at Syria", proxy wars etc are the current best method for engaging without actually having to fight directly (which just ends super badly as it almost inevitably escalates)

incognition 8y ago

What's really interesting is the selected motto for the new era. On the surface it appears to resemble "continued peace" but careful readers of Japanese understand it had a complete different meaning. It more closely means "ordered" "compliance", as in an order is given and your compliance will keep the peace. Strange times.