ヾ(゜Д゜)ノ"英字新聞
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Japan's message should be clearly transmitted
Taro Aso has made his diplomatic debut as prime minister. We hope he will play a leading role in sending a clear message to domestic and foreign audiences concerning what Japan attaches importance to and what it will try to accomplish in the international community.
Aso delivered a speech at the 63rd U.N. General Assembly on Thursday, becoming the first Japanese prime minister to address the meeting since 2005.
"Peace and happiness are most certainly within our grasp through the pursuit of economic prosperity and democracy," Aso said. "I am determined to work in solidarity with countries holding fundamental values in common and to share Japan's experiences with nations strongly needing such support."
Aso's remarks reflect the basic stance of Japan's diplomacy: The country will actively support the growth of developing countries' economies and institutions, and contribute to rooting out poverty and terrorism.
The fact that it is the world's second-largest economy enables Japan to have its voice heard in the international community. But the country slipped to fifth place among official development assistance donors in 2007, mainly due to its deteriorating fiscal condition. If Aso is to strengthen foreign aid, as he has said he wants to do, it is indispensable to ensure Japan's economic growth first.
Reform of UNSC needed
As foreign minister under the administration of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Aso spelled out his diplomatic policy, which upholds universal values, including freedom, democracy and human rights, and supports the economic development and democratization of Eastern Europe and central Asia.
Imposing one's values on another country is bound to draw opposition from that country. Diplomacy needs width and depth.
But Aso's willingness to spell out Japan's diplomatic philosophy is important.
Reform of the U.N. Security Council, including Japan's bid to gain permanent membership, is important for the national interest. Fresh intergovernmental negotiations on expanding the Security Council will start by the end of February. Japan urgently needs to evolve a strategy centering on "an expansion of both permanent and nonpermanent membership," which Aso stressed in his speech.
If Japan is elected as one of the 10 new nonpermanent members of the Security Council in October, it would serve a two-year term, starting from January.
Refueling must continue
Aso also declared in his speech, "Japan will continue into the future to stand side by side with the international community and participate proactively in the fight against terrorism." To conduct its active U.N. diplomacy, Japan should continue the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean. Japan must shoulder a fair burden if it is to contribute to international peace cooperation activities and maintain the Japan-U.S. security alliance, which Aso, in his speech, called an "unchangeable cornerstone" of Japan's diplomacy.
Referring to the government's interpretation of the Constitution, which prohibits the country from exercising the right of the collective self-defense, Aso told reporters in New York on Thursday, "Basically, it should be changed."
In June, a panel of experts discussing the right of the collective self-defense, which was set up by Abe, submitted a proposal to then Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda calling for a change in the government's current interpretation. The government should tackle this issue seriously.
