The first publication of Japan Now 2005 will feature an interview with Ambassador of Japan, Ryozo Kato. A transcript of this interview can be found in mid-January by clicking here.
(Japan Now is a newsletter of current topics in Japanese politics, economy, society as well as Japan-related information from around the US . It is published six times a year.)
Excerpts from the interview with Ambassador Kato follow:
* US-Japan Relations
QUESTION: You have been Ambassador in Washington for just over three years. From that perspective, how would you characterize Japan-US relations as we start 2005?
Amb. KATO: The present relationship is in excellent shape. The Japan-US alliance has never been better. And more importantly, it has never been required to be as strong as it is now.
QUESTION: Do you foresee a shift in the direction or tone of the bilateral relationship, given recent changes in the second-term Bush foreign policy team?
Amb. KATO: I don’t think so. There will be a high degree of continuity from the first term, and the Japan-US relationship is working well right now.
* Deployment in Iraq
QUESTION: On December 9, 2004 , Japan announced its decision to continue its deployment of Self-Defense Forces (SDF) in Iraq for another year. Would you please comment on this?
Amb. KATO: The Japanese Government decision on the SDF deployment is a measure of Japanese regard for the Iraqi people. The SDF is in Iraq not for military combat, but to aid infrastructure needs, such as water treatment, school building, and providing medical supplies. We look forward to the day when the Iraqi people can have their own government, their own judiciary, their own country, and we want to encourage the Iraqis to this end. This Japanese SDF role is also well received in the US and makes my job here somewhat easier.
* North Korea
QUESTION: Moving on to issues in Asia , the North Korean effort to develop nuclear weapons and engage in proliferation activity has been the focus of apprehensions about that regime. What is the Japanese view of North Korea and how a relationship with North Korea should develop?
Amb. KATO: We will not normalize our relationships with North Korea unless and until nuclear issues and other important security issues, as well as abduction issues, are resolved. And our economic assistance to North Korea will not take place unless this normalization process is complete—that policy remains unchanged. Our approach to North Korea is a mix of both dialogue and pressure. And we very much hope that North Korea will respond, including participation in the Six-Party talks.
* United Nations
QUESTION: I’d like to turn to a more global issue – a growing debate about ways to improve Security Council representation and the operational efficacy of the United Nations (UN). What are the prospects for significant changes in the structure of the UN, including a permanent Japanese seat on the Security Council?
Amb. KATO: Japan ’s goal is to make the UN a more effective and legitimate world body. The UN needs reform in 3 areas: the Security Council, development aid structure and financial structure. The Security Council reform is but one area. If Japan were to have a permanent seat, I think we would make a good contribution, but that is not our overriding concern. The last reform in the UN was in 1967, so it is long overdue. I don’t think the present structure of the Security Council truly reflects the reality of the international community of today. As Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, we have to build international momentum for reform. Whether it can be done is really up to the international community. Japan is working hard towards reforming the UN, so that it is more effective in decision-making and more legitimate in terms of the allocation of seats in the Security Council.
* Japanese Culture
QUESTION: Lastly, let’s touch on the broad topic of cross-cultural exchange, particularly the growing popularity among younger Americans of Japanese ‘pop’ cultural elements, including manga and anime in the visual arts, ‘Ichiro’ and Hideki Matsui as star US baseball performers, and the appeal of sushi to the American diet. Do these influences have significance for bilateral relations?
Amb. KATO: About 3 years ago, there were worries about the reduced level of presence of Japan in the US . Reflecting the sluggish economy at the time, many Japanese companies and factories in the US had closed down, and the Japanese image in America seemed to suffer. But despite this trend, the acceptance of some Japanese cultural elements into American society has been on the rise. It seems like some Japanese cultural forms have a “stealth capability”, as if they are invisible and separate from economic influences. Japanese art—not traditional but contemporary art, such as anime and manga—and athletes are doing quite well, and are accepted, in the US . This is a good thing because in the end, I believe that the strength of the US-Japan relationship comes down to people-to-people communication and mutual respect. The Japanese have a strong respect for the US , based on its power and capabilities in the world. Likewise, there is an American respect for Japan ’s strengths in its economy, technological capabilities and culture – and its coherent foreign policy. As long as both peoples have a good degree of respect for one another, the relationship between the two countries will remain strong.
[Related links]
* Ambassador Kato
* Japan-U.S. Relations
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