That this was the outcome of Bushido, literally "Way of the Warrior", the code of conduct of the samurai that became the ethical foundation for the whole of Japanese society in the 19th century, (and which Abe's grandfather seems to have inculcated in him), does not provide an excuse for Abe and his cohorts to ignore the brutal crimes evidenced in the recollections of Japanese soldiers, not to mention the confessions of Japanese war criminals.

Yes, atrocities happen in war, on both a small and large scale, and they are not something exclusive to the Japanese, but they should not be tacitly condoned. And yes, fervent nationalism all too easily turns to racism. Japan is not exceptional because it manifested these. It is exceptional, because its current leaders refuse to acknowledge that some of their countrymen were guilty of both at a particular point in history.

Abe and his ilk seem to believe that with the United States willing to turn a blind eye to anything they do so long as it keeps China wrongfooted, they can do no wrong.

But two wrongs do not make a right. Just because the US administration is foolish enough to believe that Japan's words and deeds don't matter so long as it keeps China on a short leash, that does not mean that Abe and the other Japanese rightists are not doing their country and the region a grave disservice.

With no apology forthcoming, and therefore no awareness made public that he recognizes where such military ambitions can lead, Abe's haste to sidestep and even overturn the Constitution and its commitment that, "We desire to occupy an honored place in an international society striving for the preservation of peace," is naturally of great concern to Japan's neighbors.

With an apology from Abe less likely than a genetically modified pig that can fly, it remains to be seen what further damage he can do before the Japanese public, or at least his party's coalition partner, already worried by the path he is leading them down, says enough is enough and turfs him out of office.

Hopefully, in that event, Abe's successor will have the courage to separate the present from the past, even if that means not getting any preferential treatment from the US, and be both willing and able to offer a heartfelt apology that will enable countries in the region to embrace the future together.

The author is a writer with China Daily.

(China Daily 07/10/2014 page8)