:: Shingetsu Institute ::

Newsletter No. 479
News-Analysis
January 11, 2007

This newsletter will present a report on some issues regarding Japanese military policy attending Prime Minister Abe’s tour of Europe. The first item comes special to us from Mina al-Oraibi (Shingetsu Member No. 43). Al-Oraibi is an Iraqi journalist based at the Arabic-language Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (The Middle East) newspaper in London.

REPORT FROM THE ABE-BLAIR PRESS CONFERENCE IN LONDON

Japanese Prime Minister Abe began his first European tour yesterday, with London being his first stop. It is expected that he will be visiting Germany, Brussels, and France over the next couple of days. While there is nothing directly linked to Japanese-Islamic relations with this visit, it is of course significant for Japan's foreign policy under Abe, along with Japan's future 'peace-keeping missions', after Japan's involvement in Iraq and the announcement of the new Japanese Ministry of Defence. Importantly, Abe's visit to NATO will be the first for a Japanese PM and may include some further involvement in Afghanistan.

I attended the press conference held at Downing St with British PM Blair and Abe yesterday; which was dominated by British journalists asking Blair about his reaction to Saddam Hussein's execution, as it was his first press conference since the execution. While Blair announced for the first time publicly that the 'manner of the execution was completely wrong', Abe said that 'capital punishment comes as a result of most cautious deliberations (in Japan)', adding 'it is important to have a world free of crime'.

Blair was very vocal in his support for Abe, announcing that 'role of Japan is becoming a major priority for us' and that he believes 'the membership of Japan in the (UN) Security Council is important' as Japan is a 'crucial player' on the world stage.

Blair went on to emphasise the success of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces in Samawah, while Abe responded that they owed the 'success of the mission to British support'. Abe added: "Iraq faces great difficulties today and I hope they will overcome them', reiterating that 'it is important for the international community to continue support for Iraq' and promising further reconstruction loans.

Proliferation was said to be an important issue discussed in the Abe-Blair talks. Each politician mentioned what concerns the other most: while Blair emphasised that Japan has 'full British support regarding North Korea', Abe said that 'we need common approaches to resolve the Iranian issue'.

Abe also took this opportunity to say that the upgrading of the Defence Agency to a ministry is 'a reflection of self-confidence that the Japanese people have in democracy and freedom which they have held up for 60 years'. He went on to say: 'today Japan must make an international contribution and has to be more assertive'.

The visit was a clear indication that Abe will work at securing Japan's place on the world stage, strengthening his alliance with the UK and working towards setting the agenda for Japan's G8 Presidency in 2008.

Hope this is useful for Shingetsu Institute newsletter readers.

Warm Regards

Mina Al-Oraibi
Asharq Alawsat Newspaper
London, UK

The second report comes from the Romania-based news service called “Playfuls.com.”

JAPAN’S ABE TO FOCUS ON AFGHANISTAN IN HISTORIC NATO VISIT
January 10, 2007

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's discussions with senior NATO officials in Brussels this week will focus on Afghanistan as well as Alliance plans for stronger partnerships with Japan and other Asia-Pacific nations, NATO officials said Wednesday.

Talks on January 12 between NATO chief Jaap de Hoof Scheffer and Abe - who will be the first-ever Japanese premier to visit NATO - could involve military and non-military support for NATO troops in Afghanistan, said Alliance spokesman James Appathurai.

Describing Abe's visit to NATO as "historic," Appathurai said non-military Japanese personnel engaged in demobilization and demining operations in Afghanistan were already working side by side with Alliance troops in the country. As such Abe's talks with Scheffer would be a "conversation of equals" focusing on how Japan could contribute more to NATO operations in Afghanistan, he said. No new cooperation structures with Japan were planned but the Alliance was seeking a further deepening of contacts with Tokyo, Appathurai added. NATO leaders in the Latvian capital Riga agreed last November to expand relations with non-Alliance members including Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Abe's visit to NATO headquarters comes at a time when Japan is increasing its global security role. The Japanese parliament agreed last month to upgrade the Defence Agency to a full ministry and to expand the "primary duties" of the Self-Defence Forces (SDF) to foreign peacekeeping operations, including support for the US military.

In addition to bilateral talks with Scheffer, Abe will attend a meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC), NATO's highest decision-making body.

EXCERPT FROM THE OFFICIAL “JAPAN-UK JOINT STATEMENT”
January 9, 2007

Promoting International Security

While recalling the great success achieved by the Japan-UK cooperation in the Governorate of Al-Muthanna in southern Iraq, Japan and the UK, working closely together, can make a major contribution towards tackling the most serious threats to global security.

Japan and the UK will continue to work together closely to tackle international challenges such as in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East peace process and human rights abuses in North Korea. In this regard, we urge North Korea to take steps towards the expeditious resolution of the abduction issue and Prime Minister Abe appreciates the UK's continued support on this issue.

Japan and the UK will work together to defeat international terrorism. We have decided to strengthen Japan-UK counter-terrorism consultations to broaden the scope of this vital work.

Proliferation of WMD, their means of delivery and related materials represent a major challenge to international peace and security. We reaffirm the importance of strengthening and maintaining the international disarmament and non proliferation regime based on the NPT, and in this regard, we intend to further cooperate in the NPT review process and PSI. We intend to cooperate more closely to strengthen counter-proliferation efforts, including through enhanced consultation and co-ordination over North Korea and Iran. We express our grave concern over the recent developments on the Korean Peninsula including the missile launch and the proclaimed nuclear test and urge North Korea to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 1718, especially to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes. We also express our deep concern at Iran's failure to take the steps required by the IAEA Board and the UN Security Council, including a full suspension of all uranium enrichment related and reprocessing activities. We call on Iran to take the positive path being offered by the international community as in UNSCR 1737 for a peaceful and diplomatic settlement of the issues.

Japan and the UK will increase cooperation in the field of peace support operations. The UK welcomes Japan's efforts to establish closer links with NATO.

We are determined to proceed with UN reform. In particular, we will continue to work together to achieve early reform of the United Nations Security Council. The UK will continue to support Japan's bid for Permanent Membership of the UN Security Council. We will work closely with each other on issues discussed in the Council.

Japan and the UK will work together to keep up the momentum of discussions on the ATT (Arms Trade Treaty) initiative in the framework of the United Nations.