The war in Iraq is coming to an end with a decisive victory in sight for the U.S. and British coalition forces. However, I still have doubts about this military adventure. When it began, I described the invasion as President George W. Bush's "personal war without justification" against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Also, quoting from a vernacular magazine, I questioned whether the U.S.-led war would "bring justice or create a cycle of evil."

Hussein has only himself to blame for his downfall. There is no sympathy lost for this ruthless and reckless dictator who has ruled Iraq for a quarter century. On the other hand, Bush -- the leader of the world's most powerful nation -- seems to have lost the virtue of magnanimity since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

There is indeed a sense that his unilateralist approach to world affairs is casting a dark shadow over the prospect of global peace and future international relations. The Iraq war, which was launched without the explicit backing of the United Nations, has raised concerns that it could widen the rift between the Western and Arab/Islamic worlds, and thus increase the danger of a "clash of civilizations" taking place.

Japan's response to the war has been ambivalent, given its traditional U.N.-centered foreign policy. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed clear support for the U.S. action, but the general feeling was akin to one of resignation: that Japan had no viable alternative but to fall in line with the U.S.

Thus Japan stood in sharp contrast to major nations such as France, Germany, China and Russia, which took a clear stand against the U.S. and Britain. In a sense, Japan's position stemmed from its "play it safe" proclivity toward international diplomacy. More immediately, it reflected the security threat posed by North Korea.

The Bush administration has singled out North Korea as a member of the "axis of evil," along with Iraq and Iran. Pyongyang recently restarted its nuclear program in violation of nuclear nonproliferation agreements, and the U.S. is demanding a resumption of international inspections. But the North, perhaps fearing that it might be the next target, has been playing a game of brinkmanship.

It is difficult to predict how things will develop with regard to North Korea. But one thing seems reasonably clear: Any unilateralist action similar to what the U.S. has done vis-a-vis Iraq is not likely to succeed with North Korea for a number of reasons, including the following:

* The Korean Peninsula remains divided by a demilitarized zone along the 38th parallel, and the U.S. maintains a heavy military presence in the South.

* South Korea pursued the "sunshine policy" of engagement with North Korea under former President Kim Dae Jung. The present administration of President Roh Moo Hyun is following a similar policy of inter-Korean reconciliation.

* Japan is also promoting dialogue with North Korea, a policy that was confirmed during last September's meeting in Pyongyang between Prime Minister Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. The meeting led to the release and return home of five Japanese nationals abducted by North Korean agents.

In other words, complex geopolitics in Northeast Asia -- which involves not only the two Koreas, the U.S. and Japan but also China and Russia -- effectively rules out the "Iraq approach," in spite of America's awesome military superiority. Asia is different from the Middle East.

Japan supported the U.S. military action in Iraq even though a clear-cut U.N. mandate could not be secured. In the case of North Korea, however, such unilateral action is not only undesirable but also infeasible in spite of, or rather because of, the immediacy of its missile and nuclear threats. That may be part of the reason Koizumi has been rather cautious about the war in Iraq.

The big question for Japan is how to deal with complex international relations involving the Korean Peninsula. More specifically, the challenge for this nation is to restrain a "hyperpower" that could become even more arrogant after a triumphant war in Iraq. This is a daunting challenge that will require Koizumi to take a resolute diplomatic stance.