Why RSS is happy with Modi's great Japan obsession

Addressing more than 5,000 students and Sangh workers at the "Yuva Sankalp Shivir" in Agra, on November 3, 2014, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat referred to a book titled The Incredible Japanese and said, "If all Indians just read the nine points on the last page of the book, about the character of the Japanese, no one would be able to defeat Indians."

The MoUs that had been signed and extensive discussions which had taken place between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan premier Shinzo Abe on topics ranging from development, entrepreneurship, education, terror and security, to nuclear energy and business, followed by the latter's much-anticipated visit to India from December 11 to 13 remind me of Bhagwat's words. The RSS, which is the ideological mentor of Modi's BJP, seems to be highly enthusiastic of India's intense relationship with Japan. As the RSS always projects Japan as the best development model for India to espouse, sky is the limit for Modi to develop India's relations with the island nation.

So what makes the RSS deeply obsessed with the Japan mould of nation-building? The RSS has no doubt that Japan is the ideal model for a nation like India to follow. That's what Bhagwat said at the Agra conclave. Hindu nationalist leaders and intellectuals have been admiring Japan for its style of development with national pride, and would like to see it happening in India too.

Leaders of the Sangh including Bhagwat have been fascinated with and inspired by Japan's story of restoring national pride after it was decimated at the hands of the US during the Second World War. "United States ruined Japan with nuclear weapons (in 1945). The country suffered huge losses of wealth and manpower. Still, it rose (back to its former glory) in just 30 years. Indians were only plundered by the British 70 years ago. We had the manpower but we could not rise in the absence of a common goal. If we want to rise, we must take lesson from Japan," Bhagwat said, according to a Times of India report on November 3, 2014.

In most of the RSS camps and "shakas", leaders tell the stories of Japan and Israel to inspire their volunteers to dedicate themselves to the cause of nation-building. The RSS chief thinks that all students should read the book The Incredible Japanese and learn from it how Japan came back on the track of development within a short period of time. The RSS holds that the rise of Japan happened as the result of the strong patriotism of the common man. They preach that in Japan, the common man is ready to serve the nation with discipline and commitment, and they are ready to meet losses for their country. Rather than an "I" feeling, the common man there is informed by a "we" feeling. The RSS identifies this with the collective approach of the Sangh model of work and India's ancient line of thinking.

As the joint statement on India and Japan Vision 2025 noted, the people of India and Japan are guided by common cultural traditions including the heritage of Buddhism, and shared commitment to the ideals of democracy, tolerance, pluralism and open society. I would like to add the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose factor to this. Japan's support to Netaji in his great battle against the British was a landmark in the history of India's freedom struggle. Japan treated India's national hero with great respect and honour. Read this statement made by Netaji's military secretary Colonel Mahboob Ahmed in his deposition before the Khosla Commission in 1972:

"There was a great deal of respect for Netaji for his personality, for his person, amongst the Japanese... and his relation with the Japanese government was that of the two interests at that stage coinciding - that is to get the British out of India."

Many historians pointed out that the Japan government gave complete freedom to Netaji in his fight for India's freedom. Sharing the views of historians like RC Majumdar, the Sangh believes and preaches that the British left India as a result of the movement led by Netaji with the support of Japan. Bhagwat's predecessor KS Sudarshan was outspoken on this. Obviously, owing to multiple reasons, Japan has been a favourite for the Sangh. When Modi has been trying his best to cozy up to the East Asian nation, it makes a whole lot of sense for the RSS.

Nuclear deal, bullet train, defence... Abe's vision for a strong India and strong Japan through big investment deals which complement each other's needs is imperative to contain the growing military influence of China in Asia.