PM Koizumi's visit a delicate diplomatic test<\/p>\n
Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Embarrassment. Then Japanese prime minister Kakuei Tanaka
\nexperienced that pain in Jakarta 28 years ago when he was
\nreceived by former president Soeharto at the palace. And by
\ncoincidence, in turn, when Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
\narrives in Jakarta on Saturday for a two-day visit, his presence
\nmay also cause diplomatic embarrassment for President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
When Tanaka and his young daughter Makiko visited Jakarta on
\nJan. 15, 1974 as part of his ASEAN tour, he was greeted by the
\nworst anti-Japanese riots ever seen in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
There were various explanations of the motives for the Malari
\n(Jan. 15 disaster) rampage, but anger over Japan's economic
\ndominance was among the triggers. Japan quickly learned from the
\nbitter experience and continued its aggressive economic expansion
\nin the region with a lower profile and a much better
\nunderstanding of the region, including Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Japanese companies are the biggest investors and most
\nimportant trading partners both here and in other parts of the
\nregion. The country is Indonesia's largest creditor, both in
\nterms of bilateral loans and funds channeled through multilateral
\norganizations, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in
\nwhich Japan has the biggest capital share.<\/p>\n
A great deal has changed since 1974. When Prime Minister
\nJunichiro Koizumi arrives in Jakarta on Saturday as part of his
\ntour of the five founding members of the Association of Southeast
\nAsian Nations (ASEAN), he will do so with the help of Tanaka's
\ndaughter Makiko, now the Japanese foreign minister and Koizumi's
\nkey advisor for the trip.<\/p>\n
President Megawati will act as host to Koizumi, after she was
\nhis guest in Tokyo last September. Coordinating Minister for the
\nEconomy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, who was jailed for 27 months
\nfor his alleged involvement in the 1974 riots, will act as
\nMegawati's chief advisor during her summit with Koizumi on
\nSaturday at the Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
Koizumi, who came to power in April last year, was originally
\nscheduled to visit ASEAN, including Indonesia, just a few days
\nbefore Megawati's arrival in Tokyo on Sept. 26. Many regarded his
\nplanned visit as a consolation tour after he had received sharp
\ncriticism from South Korea, North Korea and China for visiting
\nthe Yasukuni war shrine in Tokyo in August.<\/p>\n
Koizumi postponed the tour following the Sept. 11 terrorist
\nattacks on the U.S. Megawati went ahead with her schedule. Both
\nof them had separate talks with U.S. President George W. Bush at
\nthe White House before their Tokyo summit.<\/p>\n
There is a tradition in Indonesia that an honorable guest is
\nexpected to bring pleasant oleh-oleh (gift) for the host. As a
\nguest, Megawati appeased Japan by fulfilling her host's demands
\nto resolve four financially troubled megaprojects involving the
\nJapanese government and large Japanese companies.<\/p>\n
The president agreed to settle the issue of debt restructuring
\nbetween the controversial petrochemical plant PT Chandra Asri and
\nits Japanese partner Marubeni Corp. She also promised to help
\nresolve problems being faced by PT Trans-Pacific Petrochemical
\nIndotama (TPPI) in the construction of a US$2.3 billion
\npetrochemical plant in Tuban, East Java. Japanese business groups
\nNissho Iwai Corp. and Itochu Corp. are involved in the project.<\/p>\n
The other two projects are the Tanjung B power plant in
\nCentral Java, which involves Sumitomo Corp., and PT Paiton
\nEnergy, a joint venture power plant which includes an Indonesian
\nprivate firm and Mitsui Corp.<\/p>\n
In turn, Koizumi pledged to continue Japan's role as
\nIndonesia's largest creditor. He also gave a commitment to
\ncontinue to assist Indonesia in its debt rescheduling
\nnegotiations with the Paris Club.<\/p>\n
Japanese prime ministers have a tradition of announcing their
\nkey policies toward ASEAN shortly after coming to power, as
\nhappened with the announcement of Takeo Fukuda's famous doctrine.<\/p>\n
Koizumi is also scheduled to convey his major policy plans for
\nthe region during his seven-day visit, starting on Wednesday, to
\nthe Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore as
\nhis oleh-oleh for the region.<\/p>\n
The Japanese press has reported that the prime minister plans
\nto propose a sweeping economic cooperation accord, including a
\nfree trade agreement (FTA) within five to 15 years between Japan
\nand ASEAN. ASEAN itself launched the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)
\non Jan. 1 this year.<\/p>\n
Koizumi's initiative is clearly designed to counter the FTA
\nagreed between ASEAN and China in November following China's
\nadmission to the World Trade Organization (WTO).<\/p>\n
Japan, the world's second biggest economy after the United
\nStates, is currently facing the prospect of losing its role as
\nthe economic engine of the region and East Asia, and of seeing
\nits global role being snatched away by China.<\/p>\n
Koizumi's initiative is laudable although it came rather late,
\nas did his introductory visits to the region, which he embarked
\nupon eight months after his election as prime minister. His
\npresence at the informal summit of ASEAN Plus Three (Japan,
\nChina, South Korea) in Brunei last November was more of a
\nmultilateral visit.<\/p>\n
According to reports, Koizumi plans to announce his FTA
\nproposal during the last part of his tour in Singapore. Koizumi
\nis slated to deliver his historic speech at the prestigious
\nInstitute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) in Singapore just
\nafter his summit with Megawati.<\/p>\n
There is of course a good reason for choosing Singapore as the
\nplace to make his announcement: it was the first country to reach
\na free trade agreement with Japan. The agreement was concluded in
\nOctober. Singapore had previously reached a similar accord with
\nthe U.S.<\/p>\n
In 1997 the economic crisis hit several Asian countries,
\nincluding ASEAN members like Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines
\nand Malaysia. Indonesia has been unable to free itself from
\neconomic upheaval and has lost three presidents since the crisis.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is seen by many as a sick, if not a dying, giant. It
\nhas lost its leadership in the region. ASEAN members are busy
\nwith their own homework and the absence of leadership from
\nIndonesia, as its largest member, is seriously affecting ASEAN's
\neffectiveness.<\/p>\n
However, despite its current condition, Indonesia's position
\nas the world's largest Muslim nation and the fourth most populous
\ncountry in the world should not be underestimated. The Sept. 11
\nterrorist attacks on the U.S. reminded many that Indonesia's role
\nin the Islamic world is undeniably strategic.<\/p>\n
Japan is a sovereign country. As its leader, Koizumi and his
\nadvisors have their own priorities and they have the right to
\nchoose Singapore as the place to deliver such a strategic speech.
\nSingapore is ASEAN's most advanced country, and she deserves the
\nhonor.<\/p>\n
Koizumi's choice of Singapore might only be symbolic. But
\ndiplomatically the option may become an embarrassment for
\nMegawati's administration.<\/p>\n
Japan itself is facing a decade-long economic crisis.
\nKoizumi's election as prime minister has brought a new optimism
\nto Japanese voters, who hope that their country will eventually
\nbe able to resolve the crisis and maintain its role as the
\nworld's second largest economic power.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, however, must also learn from Koizumi. As long as
\nIndonesia remains weak, its presence can be ignored -- a bitter,
\nbut maybe also a necessary, pill for Megawati to swallow.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pm-koizumis-visit-a-delicate-diplomatic-test-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}