Japan seeks friendship with the Islamic world

Kenshiro Matsunami, The Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo

The (Japanese) government has decided to extend the deployment period of the Self-Defense Forces in Iraq. This is a policy decision that runs the biggest risk for the administration of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

I supported the decision for the sake of providing humanitarian assistance to Iraq and for other reasons.

The decision to keep the Japanese troops stationed in Iraq is suggestive of a strong bond between Japan and the United States in regard to security arrangements.

We remember how the financial contribution we made to the international community, which was larger than any other country, at the time of the 1991 Persian Gulf War evaluated poorly by the community of nations.

I thought that we should avoid a repetition of that bitter experience and establish a new diplomatic strategy in line with Japan's national interest.

Perhaps I do not need to explain why the United States, Britain and 26 other countries have their military troops stationed in Iraq. Japan is dependent on external trade, and it can increase its strength only if the world is at peace.

The government's decision to keep the SDF troops in Iraq came at a time when Japan is faced with a diplomatic assignment that it must tackle seriously: To mediate between the United States and Iran to re-establish their diplomatic relations. That is a role that only Japan can play.

The impression I have about the Middle East is that there are countless conflicts in the region that can trigger a war. What the people of the world -- in particular, the International Atomic Energy Agency -- are watching most carefully about Iran are its moves related to uranium enrichment.

The United States has its military troops stationed in neighboring Iraq partly to keep Iran in check. The impact of the American troops on Iraq is also implied by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's scathing attacks on Israel.

Iran gives the impression that it is intent on having its weight felt in the international community by its nuclear development and calling for unity among Islamic countries.

But the assistance that Japan, which is trusted by the rest of the world as a pacifist country, provides together with the United States and Britain does not strike a chord with Islamic countries. Japan is making contributions to efforts for preventing Iran from taking dangerous steps. Iran should not be left out in the cold.

Japan's assistance to Afghanistan, which shares borders with Iran, is also helping to increase stability in the country. Japan also played a role in mitigating animosity between India and Pakistan and avoiding chaos in the member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States that are located close to Afghanistan.

The stability in this part of the world is helpful to Iran. However, the presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan is a threat to it.

Assistance to Iraq and Afghanistan is a plan carefully worked out by Japan and the United States. No doubt, the cooperation between Japan and the United States -- with the United States offering military power and democracy and Japan demonstrating humanitarianism -- closes in on Iran and makes the Iranians feel they are being stifled.

But Iran must adopt its own independent policy direction. And we must, at the least, avoid the folly of driving Iran into a corner.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appointed former Ambassador to Japan Manouchehr Mottaki his foreign minister. Iran also signed a contract with a Japanese oil company to develop the Azadegan oilfield, thus showing a pro-Japan stance. I think now is the time for Japan to play a role for contributing to stability in Iran.

Islamic countries, regardless of whether their people are Sunni or Shiite, have a set of values that are different from that of the West.

As Japan has never been antagonistic to Islamic countries, it should, as a national strategy, roll up its sleeves to help the United States and Iran build diplomatic relations. In its diplomatic policy, Japan should proceed, in its national interest, to take wide-ranging action in the Islamic world. Good opportunities are now being offered for such action.

Japan is dependent on imports from Islamic countries for 90 percent of the oil and natural gas it consumes. Japan is in a very precarious position regarding oil supply, as was amply demonstrated by the two oil crises. Besides, the rising consumption of oil in China will have a great impact on Japan.

As Japan has never been hostile with any Islamic country, it should forge firm relations with the Islamic world ahead of China.

It is natural for Japan to make intensive studies into nuclear fusion and other forms of highly developed technology and attach importance to the policy of securing fossil energy. Japan chipped in $3.5 billion for the reconstruction of the Basra port and made preparations for loading oil there. Who can blame Japan for such a policy?

But such a policy is predicated on the stability of the Islamic bloc in this part of the world. The conflict between the United States and Iran must be resolved from such a standpoint as well.

Apparently, successive foreign ministers in the Koizumi administration have not been very eager for diplomacy with the Islamic world. Moreover, they would not take the trouble of mediating between the two countries even though there have been many chances.

That was because they lacked in foresight and were too preoccupied with diplomatic policy toward China and South Korea.

Japan is in a position to have good mutual understandings with both the United States and Iran. Japan may be the only country in the world that can serve as a go-between for the two countries.

We should not forget that Japan has its own, independent diplomatic role to play in this field.

The writer is a Lower House member of the Liberal Democratic Party and secretary-general of the Diet members association for friendship with Islamic countries.