04-26-2005, 11:57 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Japan wants to see India as stabilising power </b>
Shobori Ganguli/ New Delhi
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will be here Thursday midnight with an express agenda: Redefine the existing global partnership between India and Japan to give it a "strategic orientation" in the context of Asia's two new regional superpowers, India and China, heralding a "new Asian era". Two, encourage India's participation in the regional economic integration process currently underway in East Asia. These two issues are meant to underscore India's crucial relevance as a "stabilising power" in Asia, in political and economic terms.
Although bitter rivals of history, Japan is aware that engagement with China is a regional and global necessity. However, it needs to counterbalance the current frost in Japan-China ties with a conflict-less partner like India. Briefing the media ahead of Mr Koizumi's visit, Japanese Ambassador Yasukuni Enoki said, with the <b>emergence of India and China as "new Asian superpowers" </b>a "common agenda for the rest of the Asian countries is how to associate with India and China." In this regard, he said, "India should shoulder responsibility for the prosperity and stability of the region," a process in which J<b>apan is ready to extend a "strategic" hand and help India emerge as a "regional stabilising power."</b><i> [they are towing some dream, they want India to endrose Japan for UNSC]</i>
Mr Enoki said Mr Koizumi would convey to the Indian leadership that development of bilateral relations is important, "not merely for the sake of mutual benefit but for the stability and prosperity of entire Asia," and emphasise that, "our relationship has enhanced significance not just in the bilateral context but in the regional and global contexts as well."
Coming three weeks after Chinese premier Wen Jiabao's high-profile tour of India, during which Japan was bluntly told to hold up the mirror of history to introspect on its claims for a permanent membership of the Security Council, <b>Mr Koizumi's visit will seek to underline the strength and solidarity of the G4 candidates - India, Japan, Brazil and Germany. </b>
"The G4 nations must further strengthen their solidarity because every candidate has a difficult neighbour... Some of these countries will try to weaken our solidarity," <b>Mr Enoki warned. Japan, understandably, faces the most serious challenge to its UNSC claim from neighbour China because the latter is a P5 country. Germany is battling Italy on this front; Brazil has Argentina and Mexico to contend with; India has usual suspect Pakistan acting spoiler.</b>Â <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
While battling a bitter historical legacy with China on their journey to the Security Council, the Japanese also insist that cordial and friendly relations between India, China and Japan are indispensable to Asian stability. Mr Enoki pointed out that while historical irritants between Japan and China cannot be erased overnight, their economic engagement is extremely intense, their two-way trade 30 times higher than that of India and Japan.<b> The challenge for India and Japan, therefore, is to increase multifold their trade and economic cooperation, given the fact the two have "no negative legacy of history."</b> <i> [Yes, India can't recall North East atrocities, they have short memory, they can't even recall Kargil]</i>
With preparations going full-steam for an East Asia Summit in Malaysia this December, Japan is keen on India's participation, because "India is crucial to Asian economic prosperity," Mr Enoki said. He said his country also endorses Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's vision of an Asian economic community - an <b>"arc of advantage and prosperity" to counterpose America's perceived "arc of instability."</b>
Mr Koizumi's talks would be crystallised in an eight-point joint statement, a concrete "action-plan" for cooperation. These include: Launch of a high-level strategic dialogue, start of an energy dialogue, enhanced security dialogue and cooperation, science and technology cooperation, cultural and academic initiatives, regional initiatives like an Asian Economic Community, UNSC reforms, and, joint combat of global threats like terrorism, natural disasters and proliferation.
<b>Energy is a serious concern for Japan which is worried about the energy use patterns in India and China. While secure for the moment, Japan is keen to teach a few lessons on energy efficiency to China and India whose consumption impacts the global energy scenario. </b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Are they ready to provide technology and funds?
Shobori Ganguli/ New Delhi
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will be here Thursday midnight with an express agenda: Redefine the existing global partnership between India and Japan to give it a "strategic orientation" in the context of Asia's two new regional superpowers, India and China, heralding a "new Asian era". Two, encourage India's participation in the regional economic integration process currently underway in East Asia. These two issues are meant to underscore India's crucial relevance as a "stabilising power" in Asia, in political and economic terms.
Although bitter rivals of history, Japan is aware that engagement with China is a regional and global necessity. However, it needs to counterbalance the current frost in Japan-China ties with a conflict-less partner like India. Briefing the media ahead of Mr Koizumi's visit, Japanese Ambassador Yasukuni Enoki said, with the <b>emergence of India and China as "new Asian superpowers" </b>a "common agenda for the rest of the Asian countries is how to associate with India and China." In this regard, he said, "India should shoulder responsibility for the prosperity and stability of the region," a process in which J<b>apan is ready to extend a "strategic" hand and help India emerge as a "regional stabilising power."</b><i> [they are towing some dream, they want India to endrose Japan for UNSC]</i>
Mr Enoki said Mr Koizumi would convey to the Indian leadership that development of bilateral relations is important, "not merely for the sake of mutual benefit but for the stability and prosperity of entire Asia," and emphasise that, "our relationship has enhanced significance not just in the bilateral context but in the regional and global contexts as well."
Coming three weeks after Chinese premier Wen Jiabao's high-profile tour of India, during which Japan was bluntly told to hold up the mirror of history to introspect on its claims for a permanent membership of the Security Council, <b>Mr Koizumi's visit will seek to underline the strength and solidarity of the G4 candidates - India, Japan, Brazil and Germany. </b>
"The G4 nations must further strengthen their solidarity because every candidate has a difficult neighbour... Some of these countries will try to weaken our solidarity," <b>Mr Enoki warned. Japan, understandably, faces the most serious challenge to its UNSC claim from neighbour China because the latter is a P5 country. Germany is battling Italy on this front; Brazil has Argentina and Mexico to contend with; India has usual suspect Pakistan acting spoiler.</b>Â <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> While battling a bitter historical legacy with China on their journey to the Security Council, the Japanese also insist that cordial and friendly relations between India, China and Japan are indispensable to Asian stability. Mr Enoki pointed out that while historical irritants between Japan and China cannot be erased overnight, their economic engagement is extremely intense, their two-way trade 30 times higher than that of India and Japan.<b> The challenge for India and Japan, therefore, is to increase multifold their trade and economic cooperation, given the fact the two have "no negative legacy of history."</b> <i> [Yes, India can't recall North East atrocities, they have short memory, they can't even recall Kargil]</i>
With preparations going full-steam for an East Asia Summit in Malaysia this December, Japan is keen on India's participation, because "India is crucial to Asian economic prosperity," Mr Enoki said. He said his country also endorses Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's vision of an Asian economic community - an <b>"arc of advantage and prosperity" to counterpose America's perceived "arc of instability."</b>
Mr Koizumi's talks would be crystallised in an eight-point joint statement, a concrete "action-plan" for cooperation. These include: Launch of a high-level strategic dialogue, start of an energy dialogue, enhanced security dialogue and cooperation, science and technology cooperation, cultural and academic initiatives, regional initiatives like an Asian Economic Community, UNSC reforms, and, joint combat of global threats like terrorism, natural disasters and proliferation.
<b>Energy is a serious concern for Japan which is worried about the energy use patterns in India and China. While secure for the moment, Japan is keen to teach a few lessons on energy efficiency to China and India whose consumption impacts the global energy scenario. </b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Are they ready to provide technology and funds?