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.