OPINION:
Colorful falling leaves drifting aimlessly to the ground seem far from the sweet smell of blooming cherry trees. Days will get shorter and colder, but each is important and a reminder that the weather may change but our companions will persevere.
For nearly a century, each spring Americans have anticipated the beautiful cherry blossoms blooming on the Tidal Basin where Thomas Jefferson’s Memorial Dome is. This year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival, which began on March 2, continued through April 17, highlighted by “full blossoming” on March 21. Blossoming sakura, the flowering cherry trees gifted from Japan, today reminds us of an indispensable relationship, something we could think of as daily cherry blossoms.
With Japan, our people are profoundly connected naturally and necessarily. For generations, some have emigrated from Japan to our multicultural country, enhancing our grand portrait. Many of us have people of Japanese descent in our family trees. Together we live and learn of our shared problems, values and hope for the future.
Common Japanese proverbs have a familiarity that resonates with our culture: “Good fences make good neighbors” conveying boundaries are healthy for relationships. “Fall down seven times, get up eight” sometimes stated, keep trying until you succeed. “A pearl to a pig” or as we know, don’t waste things on those who won’t appreciate it. Perhaps one Japanese proverb can be stretched to the breadth of our nation’s relationship, from “Two bodies, same heart” extended as two countries in harmony.
Autos of choice are often of the same heart with consumers in both populations. Mutually, we drive cars made by Acura, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota to name a few, all of which are Japanese companies. Many of these brands build cars in America. Customary Japanese cuisine such as tempura, ramen noodles and sushi are familiar on our streets and in markets and homes. Online games, cartoons and apparel designs coincide. From cars, cuisine and clothing to Pokémon, there is a lot of common ground in our cultures.
Our economies are intertwined as well through trade and finance. Most of us are unaware that Japan remains our biggest investor since 2019, employing nearly a million U.S. workers, second only to U.K. companies. For example, Mazda Motors builds cars in Huntsville, Alabama. Fujifilm is investing $1.4 billion in a much-needed pharmaceutical plant in the U.S. Japan is investing $340 million to support Micron’s subsidiary producing advanced memory chips in a Hiroshima factory. One could say, economically, “we are joined at the hip.”
In a crisis, we cooperate. While Japan was crushed by the triple storms of earthquakes, tsunamis and nuclear disaster, the U.S. sent our treasure and troops to aid in the recovery when some wonder if the cherry blossoms would ever bloom again. When safety and security are threatened, we coordinate with joint military exercises, like kind hardware and communications links, as well as a maintained military presence in Japan. We are devotedly bonded.
No one needs reminding that the friendly people of Japan live in a very unfriendly part of the world. Nevertheless, North Korea recently retold humanity by launching missiles over the land of the rising sun. Not long ago China sent a prompt by withholding rare earth metals from Japan over an island dispute depriving manufacturing of much-needed material. Their maritime and territorial disputes continue. These are but glimpses of other much larger pending shared threats.
These shared threats lead to the “Quad,” the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, with Australia and India joining Japan and the U.S. as a responsive mechanism to advance shared goals in the region. Our friends in each of these nations hope for peace and prosperity for their people at a time when China threatens to invade Taiwan and Russia has actually invaded Ukraine. As Thomas Aquinas wrote, “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.”
As with any country, there are language, historical and cultural differences. World War II was both painful and costly in terms of human life, memories and money. Families in both countries still mourn the lost loved ones of that difficult war. Hopefully, willfully, time heals all wounds. But given our differences with Japan, none are so great as to nullify our friendship and need for each other.
Likely, the Chinese desire for expansion, influence and control of shipping lanes places the U.S. and Japan in a common need. In addition, North Korea represents a nuclear threat to both nations. Yet it is the coinciding of our people, practices and principles that begets two countries, with the same heart. It is a bond that must endure and blossom daily.
• Todd Tiahrt is a former congressman who served on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which funds all federal discretionary allocations, including the State Department and Federal Trade Commission.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.