How sincere is Japan about cooperation with SE Asia?

How sincere is Japan about cooperation with SE Asia?

Kornelius Purba
The Jakarta Post
Tokyo

Southeast Asian nations have expressed support for Japan's
ambitious idea of an Asian version of the European Union -- but
they are still going to wait and see if Japan is sincere about
improving economic and trade relations with its neighbors in the
region.

This was conveyed by Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
to his host, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, during
the two-day Japan-ASEAN summit in Tokyo earlier this month.

In a conversation with The Jakarta Post after the summit, the
ASEAN-Japan Center Secretary General Nobutisho Akao quoted Goh as
saying that Japan, especially its corporations, should accelerate
the transfer of technology to their counterparts in Southeast
Asia.

Goh also pointed out that Japanese companies were way behind
western multinational companies in giving maximum promotional
opportunities to local executives working for them, said Akao who
was present during the summit sessions.

"Local employees working at western companies can even reach
the highest position in the companies operating in the respective
countries," Akao quoted Goh as telling Koizumi.

The Singaporean leader's remarks demonstrated that although
Japan remains the most important trading partner, investor and
money lender for members of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN), there is also a long list of complaints from the
regional grouping.

Of course Japan also has its issues. Amid the rapid growth of
China's economy and global influence, Japan can no longer take
its number one position in the region for granted. ASEAN also
cannot simply use the China factor in wooing more investment and
trade from Japan, because, in the end, money will only flow to
countries where profit can be made.

Koizumi invited ASEAN's 10 leaders to attend the 30th
commemoration of Japan-ASEAN ties on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12, where
he presented some details of his East Asian Community (EAC) plan,
although he did not propose any concrete timeframe to achieve it.
In Koizumi's version, Japan and ASEAN would become the main
driving force of the EAC and he indicated that China and South
Korea would also be involved in its establishment.

The Prime Minister pointed out that Japan and ASEAN had agreed
on "more than 100 concrete measures in economic and development
areas, as well as political, security, social and cultural areas"
most of which would be financed by Japan.

Japan however, nearly embarrassed the ASEAN leaders with its
reluctance to sign the regional body's work of pride, the Treaty
of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). China and India
had signed the treaty during the ASEAN annual summit in Bali two
months ago, and Japan had refused to. Japan cited numerous
reasons behind its postponement, including its close relations
with the United States.

In Tokyo, Koizumi eventually agreed to make a compromise.
Japan pledged its intention to accede to the TAC. According to
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, ASEAN expects that
Japan will eventually sign the treaty before next year's annual
summit in Laos.

"If ASEAN friends wish us to sign the treaty there is no
reason for us not to sign it," Koizumi replied when asked why he
changed his mind after just two months.

Japanese officials hinted that, although China was quicker in
signing on to the treaty, Japan would be much more committed to
the treaty when it does sign.

"After ratification in parliament we will fully implement the
treaty. Do you think that China will ask its parliament for
ratification?" asked an official who spoke on condition of
anonymity.

It is probably true that the TAC is more a symbol rather than
an effective legal framework for ASEAN. Therefore, to sign it or
not will not mean much for Japan or other countries. However,
reluctance to do so could be perceived as Japan's insincerity
toward its neighbors.

And how about the EAC plan? At present, this also remains more
of a symbol of Japan's ambition to retain its position as the
main pillar of East Asia's economy.

So why has ASEAN enthusiastically supported Koizumi's agenda?
ASEAN apparently believes that it is much better to be involved
in the EAC process from the very beginning, and thus able to
benefit from the intensifying rivalry between Japan and China in
the region.

When ASEAN announced its seemingly utopian plan to create the
ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 1991, many people laughed. But
now the AFTA dream is closer to reality than most could have
imagined. Maybe ASEAN did indeed make the right decision to
support Koizumi's dream this time.

Japan worked hard to become a perfect host during the summit.
The media center provided laptop computers for journalists,
however instructions to use them were unclear, as Japanese
characters would pop up when one pressed the Latin keys.

Though a trivial matter, if we fail to perceive a friend's
needs in little things, it would require even more effort and
insight to understand his larger needs.

The writer covered the Tokyo-ASEAN Summit at the invitation of
Japan's Foreign Ministry.