ASEAN reticent about Japan's EAC plan<\/p>\n
Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, Tokyo<\/p>\n
Southeast Asian nations have expressed support for Japan's
\nambitious idea of an Asian version of the European Union -- but
\nthey are still going to wait and see if Japan is sincere about
\nimproving economic and trade relations with its neighbors in the
\nregion.<\/p>\n
This was conveyed by Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
\nto his host, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, during
\nthe two-day Japan-ASEAN summit in Tokyo earlier this month.<\/p>\n
In a conversation with The Jakarta Post after the summit, the
\nASEAN-Japan Center Secretary General Nobutisho Akao quoted Goh as
\nsaying that Japan, especially its corporations, should accelerate
\nthe transfer of technology to their counterparts in Southeast
\nAsia.<\/p>\n
Goh also pointed out that Japanese companies were way behind
\nwestern multinational companies in giving maximum promotional
\nopportunities to local executives working for them, said Akao who
\nwas present during the summit sessions.<\/p>\n
"Local employees working at western companies can even reach
\nthe highest position in the companies operating in the respective
\ncountries," Akao quoted Goh as telling Koizumi.<\/p>\n
The Singaporean leader's remarks demonstrated that although
\nJapan remains the most important trading partner, investor and
\nmoney lender for members of the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN), there is also a long list of complaints from the
\nregional grouping.<\/p>\n
Of course Japan also has its issues. Amid the rapid growth of
\nChina's economy and global influence, Japan can no longer take
\nits number one position in the region for granted. ASEAN also
\ncannot simply use the China factor in wooing more investment and
\ntrade from Japan, because, in the end, money will only flow to
\ncountries where profit can be made.<\/p>\n
Koizumi invited ASEAN's 10 leaders to attend the 30th
\ncommemoration of Japan-ASEAN ties on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12, where
\nhe presented some details of his East Asian Community (EAC) plan,
\nalthough he did not propose any concrete timeframe to achieve it.
\nIn Koizumi's version, Japan and ASEAN would become the main
\ndriving force of the EAC and he indicated that China and South
\nKorea would also be involved in its establishment.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister pointed out that Japan and ASEAN had agreed
\non "more than 100 concrete measures in economic and development
\nareas, as well as political, security, social and cultural areas"
\nmost of which would be financed by Japan.<\/p>\n
Japan however, nearly embarrassed the ASEAN leaders with its
\nreluctance to sign the regional body's work of pride, the Treaty
\nof Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). China and India
\nhad signed the treaty during the ASEAN annual summit in Bali two
\nmonths ago, and Japan had refused to. Japan cited numerous
\nreasons behind its postponement, including its close relations
\nwith the United States.<\/p>\n
In Tokyo, Koizumi eventually agreed to make a compromise.
\nJapan pledged its intention to accede to the TAC. According to
\nMinister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, ASEAN expects that
\nJapan will eventually sign the treaty before next year's annual
\nsummit in Laos.<\/p>\n
"If ASEAN friends wish us to sign the treaty there is no
\nreason for us not to sign it," Koizumi replied when asked why he
\nchanged his mind after just two months.<\/p>\n
Japanese officials hinted that, although China was quicker in
\nsigning on to the treaty, Japan would be much more committed to
\nthe treaty when it does sign.<\/p>\n
"After ratification in parliament we will fully implement the
\ntreaty. Do you think that China will ask its parliament for
\nratification?" asked an official who spoke on condition of
\nanonymity.<\/p>\n
It is probably true that the TAC is more a symbol rather than
\nan effective legal framework for ASEAN. Therefore, to sign it or
\nnot will not mean much for Japan or other countries. However,
\nreluctance to do so could be perceived as Japan's insincerity
\ntoward its neighbors.<\/p>\n
And how about the EAC plan? At present, this also remains more
\nof a symbol of Japan's ambition to retain its position as the
\nmain pillar of East Asia's economy.<\/p>\n
So why has ASEAN enthusiastically supported Koizumi's agenda?
\nASEAN apparently believes that it is much better to be involved
\nin the EAC process from the very beginning, and thus able to
\nbenefit from the intensifying rivalry between Japan and China in
\nthe region.<\/p>\n
When ASEAN announced its seemingly utopian plan to create the
\nASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 1991, many people laughed. But
\nnow the AFTA dream is closer to reality than most could have
\nimagined. Maybe ASEAN did indeed make the right decision to
\nsupport Koizumi's dream this time.<\/p>\n
Japan worked hard to become a perfect host during the summit.
\nThe media center provided laptop computers for journalists,
\nhowever instructions to use them were unclear, as Japanese
\ncharacters would pop up when one pressed the Latin keys.<\/p>\n
Though a trivial matter, if we fail to perceive a friend's
\nneeds in little things, it would require even more effort and
\ninsight to understand his larger needs.<\/p>\n
The writer covered the Tokyo-ASEAN Summit at the invitation of
\nJapan's Foreign Ministry.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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