International
Japan for bigger role in region: Koizumi
By Amit Baruah
SINGAPORE Jan. 15. The Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, has signalled that his country is ready to play a bigger role in South-East and East Asia in line with what it calls its "international obligations".
Delivering the Singapore lecture on Monday, Mr. Koizumi said Japan and ASEAN must tackle the issues of terrorism, piracy and energy security together. The Prime Minister called for the creation of a larger East Asian community, which would include Australia and New Zealand, but played down the role of India in creating such a grouping. "Instability is not always elsewhere. Sometimes it is at home. Factors for instability are also in the region...in South-East Asia, Japan would like to actively participate in reducing poverty and preventing conflicts, in such cases as Mindanao, Aceh and East Timor. In particular, by the spring of this year, Japan will dispatch a self-defence force engineer unit to peace-keeping operations in East Timor," he said. "In recent years, Japan has begun to fulfil its international obligations, such as peace-keeping missions. We have dispatched self-defence forces to help in Cambodia, Mozambique, Zaire and the Golan Heights. And, in co-operation with the countries of ASEAN, we intend to make an even more active contribution to ensure regional stability here in South-East Asia," he said.
Mr. Koizumi stressed that Japan-ASEAN co-operation must extend its reach globally. "I believe we should increase our co-operation on such issues as peace and reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan, measures for disarmament and non-proliferation and reform of the United Nations." Calling for a "drastic" intensification of Japan-ASEAN security co-operation, he said: "I believe we need an agreement for regional co-operation on piracy, and I will promote consultation to achieve that end." Proposing an initiative for Japan-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the Prime Minister maintained that co-operation between the two should be linked to all of East Asia. "While recognising our historical, cultural, ethnic and traditional diversity, I would like to see countries in the region become a group that works together in harmony. Our pasts may be varied and divergent, but our futures can be united and supportive of each other. The realisation of such a group needs strategic considerations in order to produce positive consequences."
Praising the "active role" of China in regional co-operation, he referred to the trilateral meetings between Japanese, Chinese and South Korean leaders (on the sidelines of the ASEAN+3 meetings). "I can confirm that the three leaders...are resolved to co-operate with each other...'' Apart from the Japan-ASEAN partnership, Mr. Koizumi referred to the proposed free trade area between ASEAN and China and moves towards ASEAN tie-ups with Australia and New Zealand as strands of a larger partnership. Saying that he expected China, Japan, ASEAN countries, Australia and New Zealand to be the "core members" of a larger East Asian/Pacific community, the Prime Minister hastened to add that he was not proposing an "exclusive entity". "In particular, the role to be played by the United States is indispensable because of its contribution to regional security and the scale of its economic interdependence with the region. Japan will continue to enhance its alliance with the United States. Cooperation with South-West Asia, including India, is also of importance, as is co-operation with the Pacific nations through APEC...''Mr. Koizumi added.
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