Abe defends handling of hostage crisis during Diet debate

I'm not pro or con the $200 million in aid, but either way there is nothing besides paying a ransom, which I don't support, that he could do. And even paying a ransom wouldn't guarantee the safe return of Goto.

Lots of quotes from Abe. Why not provide Maehara's remarks in full?

Abe may try to use the "humanitarian assistance" card in defence of his actions to win favour, but it's well known in the international community that Japanese aid often has political implication. In one OECD review it's written:

Japan has a strong preference for bilateral aid, which accounted for 84% of its aid in 2008. This preference reflects concerns about the visibility of Japanese aid and its importance for political leverage and as a foreign policy instrument.

Also, close to 50% of Japan's "aid" is in the form of loans, a lot is for technical assistance, which often means money for Japanese contractors, and very little goes to local or international NPO, which often have the best handle on what assistance people there need.

In the case of Abe with his double-speak, we should know by now never to take anything he says at face value. This time he is using so-called "humanitarian assistance" to push his militarization agenda.

See more: http://www.oecd.org/dac/peer-reviews/japan2010dacpeerreview-mainfindingsandrecommendations.htm

@paulinusa

I'm not pro or con the $200 million in aid, but either way there is nothing besides paying a ransom, which I don't support, that he could do. And even paying a ransom wouldn't guarantee the safe return of Goto.

From the 2nd paragraph, it sounds like he was more concerned with the fact that Abe specifically mentioned IS when announcing the contributions, and this might have triggered IS to make the threats. If he had just said Japan would contribute money to the area, without stating that IS were the enemy, it is possible that this ordeal could have been avoided.

When hostages are dying , how can it be that Abe is deemed to be handling the situation?

When hostages are dying , how can it be that Abe is deemed to be handling the situation?

"Handling it" and "handling of" are two different phrases.

From MoFA of Japan. http://www.mofa.go.jp/p_pd/ip/page22e_000638.html

Japan will extend a total of $200 million to countries in the region for their fight against ISIL,

Whereas Japanese version of the same page says,http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/p_pd/ip/page22_001771.html

ISILと闘う周辺各国に総額で2億ドル程度の支援を実施し

"(Japan is) to provide assistance in the total sum of 200 million dollars to the countries in combat with and neighboring ISIL,

Japan needs better PR officers and better translators.