Newsletter No. 359
News-Analysis
July 24, 2006

 

SUMMARY OF EVENTS IN JAPANESE-ISLAMIC RELATIONS FOR JULY 2006

There were six major stories in July:

1) The GSDF pullout from Samawa was carried out safely and successfully.

2) Prime Minister Koizumi made a visit to Israel and Jordan at a very inopportune time, as his government fumbled its response to the outbreak of a new Israel-Lebanon war.

3) Tokyo supported UN Security Council sanctions on Iran.

4) The Japan-Malaysia FTA took effect.

5) Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited Tokyo in connection with a new aid conference.

6) Concrete policies for Japanese support of the Mindanao peace process were adopted.

The first story ended a major historical chapter for Japan. The GSDF mission in Samawa had been controversial and important. Discussions about how to safely withdraw the GSDF from Iraq had been discussed for several months in the media. Except for a mysterious large explosion in the city of Samawa, the withdrawal to Kuwait was uneventful. Tokyo had thus ended the GSDF mission without a single casualty over 2 1/2 years.

Prime Minister Koizumi was determined to visit Israel and Jordan even as the regional situation was descending into a major crisis. Israel responded to Hizballah attacks by launching strikes against the entire Lebanese society. Out of deference to Washington (which tacitly supported Israel’s campaign in Lebanon) Tokyo wouldn’t even call for a ceasefire. However, Tokyo used the occasion of Koizumi’s visit to distribute new aid to the Palestinians and to Jordan.

The third story revolved around the Iran nuclear crisis. Tokyo added its vote in favor of UNSC sanctions on Iran should it not comply with Western demands in regard to its nuclear program. At the same time, however, Iranian Vice-President Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei was in Tokyo meeting with Japanese officials in hopes of boosting bilateral cultural exchanges.

Malaysia’s International Trade and Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz, came to Tokyo to mark the entry into force of the Japan-Malaysia FTA. It was hoped that this agreement would solidify Japan-Malaysia economic relations in many ways.

The Second Tokyo Conference on the Consolidation of Peace in Afghanistan was held from July 4th to 7th, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai was co-chair. This symbolized the continuing, remarkably-high-profile support that Tokyo continued to bestow on the Karzai regime.

Foreign Minister Taro Aso visited Manila and discussed concrete measures on how Japan could support the peace process in Mindanao. This event deepened Japan’s commitment to this issue even further, and suggested that more Japanese nationals would soon be in the conflict zones themselves.

Aside from the major stories, the following smaller or more subtle events also occurred in July:

1) The statute of limitations on the murder of Hitoshi Igarashi, Japanese translator of The Satanic Verses, expired with no arrests made.

2) Foreign Minsiter Aso visited Dhaka as more Japanese assistance to the Bangladeshi transport industries was promised.

3) Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Akiko Yamanaka paid a visit to Azerbaijan to consolidate bilateral ties.

4) Published reports indicated that local Muslims in Fukuoka were undertaking a project to build the first mosque in Kyushu.

5) Japan provided aid for victims of an earthquake in Indonesia.

6) Bush Administration officials requested a further extension of the MSDF Indian Ocean mission.

7) Shintaro Ito, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, departed Japan on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Tunisia.

8) The outbreak of fighting between Israel and Hizballah created concerns for the security of the GSDF mission in the Golan Heights.

9) Japanese newspapers called for the closure of the American prisons at Guantanamo.

10) The construction of the orphanage at Samawa, supported by Japanese volunteers, was completed.

11) Tokyo provided aid for refugees from the Darfur conflict in Sudan and Chad.