Japan PM ends Asian tour with call for partnership

Japan PM ends Asian tour with call for partnership

George Nishiyama, Reuters, Singapore

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday called for closer ties with Southeast Asia in an apparent bid to keep China's influence in check and said Tokyo was ready to act to help prevent regional conflicts.

The Japanese leader outlined Tokyo's Asian policy in a speech in Singapore, the final stop of his week-long tour of the five founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Koizumi made one last pitch for increased cooperation between Japan and ASEAN, which Tokyo hopes will ultimately lead to an East Asia cooperative community which will also include Australia and New Zealand.

"In the 21st century, as sincere and open partners, Japan and ASEAN should strengthen their cooperation under the basic concept of 'acting together -- advancing together'," Koizumi said in a speech.

He proposed several initiatives for stepped up cooperation with the region, including a comprehensive economic partnership between Japan and ASEAN, centering on a broad free-trade agreement.

"We must strengthen broad ranged economic partnership by stretching further than trade and investment -- to such areas as science and technology, human resource development and tourism," the prime minister said.

He added that an FTA signed with Singapore on Sunday, the first of its kind for Japan, was an example of such cooperation.

The proposal is seen as Tokyo's response to China's moves to forge closer ties with ASEAN, most notably an agreement reached in November with ASEAN to establish a free-trade area within 10 years.

A Japanese official who was involved in drawing up Koizumi's speech acknowledged that the idea was drawn up after China had struck the deal with ASEAN.

But the Japanese leader did not refer to a specific time frame in his proposal.

Koizumi said reforms must be carried out both in Japan and ASEAN nations in order to achieve economic recovery.

"By undertaking reforms in our respective countries, we will advance individually and jointly toward increased prosperity," he said, adding that he was determined to push ahead with reforming the Japanese economy, his mantra.

"I also know that the countries of ASEAN are awaiting Japan's structural reform and the subsequent return of a dynamic Japanese economy. I realize that when it comes to the global economy, rain does not fall on one roof alone," Koizumi said.

He also said that Tokyo was ready to work for securing stability in the region.

"In Southeast Asia, Japan would like to actively cooperate in reducing poverty and preventing conflicts, in such cases as Mindanao, Aceh and East Timor," the prime minister said.

Pointing to how Japan has recently taken part in a number of U.N. peace-keeping operations, Koizumi added: "And in cooperation with the countries of ASEAN, we intend to make an even more active contribution to ensure regional stability here in Southeast Asia."

The Japanese leader said that through increased cooperation, Japan envisioned a formation of a community which not only included ASEAN, but also Japan, China and South Korea as well as Australia and New Zealand.

Singapore was the last leg of a whirlwind tour which also took Koizumi to the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.