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Japan's star rises in
Jerusalem
By J Sean
Curtin
As life and possibilities finally
return to the long-dormant Middle East peace
process, Japan is making a determined effort to
ensure that Tokyo plays a key role in any
settlement, demonstrating its larger and more
effective role on the world stage. In its latest
and boldest initiative, Tokyo has offered to host
a summit between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at
the end of May or in early June. Japan currently
enjoys strong economic and political ties with
both sides and is regarded by both as a reliable
neutral party, an honest broker, impartial and
disinterested in anything but peace.
Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Nabil
Shaath told Asia Times Online, "We are very
positive towards Japanese involvement, and for a
long time we have advocated a greater Japanese
presence." Professor Ehud Harari, an expert on
Japan-Israeli relations at the Hebrew University
of Jerusalem, commented, "Israel has welcomed a
rising profile of Japanese engagement in Middle
Eastern affairs."
After announcing on
March 9 the proposed Tokyo summit, Japanese Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi underscored Tokyo's
strong commitment to assisting both sides as a
neutral party, saying, "The momentum has been born
to advance the Middle East peace process, and
Japan is willing to support it on an independent
position."
While Japan's image as an
unbiased player is a highly prized commodity, its
most vital asset is that both Israelis and
Palestinians regard Tokyo as trustworthy, an
increasingly rare status in the notoriously
difficult negotiations.
At the moment, the
leading international players are the United
States, Russia, the European Union and the United
Nations, which make up the quartet that devised
the now virtually shredded "roadmap to peace", tow
states living side by side. However, each is
hampered by either Israeli or Palestinian
suspicions, creating an ideal opening for Japan.
Professor Harari explained: "When the Palestinians
distrusted the US and Israel distrusted the United
Nations and the European Union, both sides held
Japan's role in the International Working Groups,
set up in the wake of the 1991 Madrid Conference,
in very high regard." He added, "Japanese
diplomats and officials from related ministries
and agencies won Israeli and Arab respect for
their enthusiasm, even-handedness, and
professional and social skills."
Today,
Japan's involvement is seen by both sides as an
essential element in any successful outcome, a
view particularly strong among Palestinians. Afif
Safieh, the Palestinian envoy to the United
Kingdom, told Asia Times Online, "It is my hope
that we can create the momentum needed to achieve
progress with the help of outside third parties
like Japan. Without the assistance of outside
parties, I think it will be difficult to advance
the process. If we are left to ourselves, we will
not get anywhere."
Japan is keen to be
seen as playing a leading role in helping to
resolve this high-profile dispute. Japanese
involvement is considered a key component in
Tokyo's efforts to gain a permanent seat on the UN
Security Council, as it aspires to play a larger,
more effective and beneficial role on the world
stage. The Japanese Foreign Ministry vigorously
denies that self-interest is the major motivating
factor. One senior Japanese diplomat told Asia
Times Online, "Japan is not doing it in order to
gain a UN Security Council seat. Remember, the
Palestinians do not have a [UN] vote." However, it
is undeniable that playing a successful role in
resolving the decades-long Middle East dispute
would greatly boost Tokyo's chances of winning a
seat on the most powerful UN body. The reform and
reconfiguration of the 15-member Security Council
- a snapshot of the world after World War II - is
far from being decided.
Tripartite
Tokyo summit likely
On March 9, the Israeli
and Palestinian envoys to Japan met Koizumi
separately at his office to formally accept
invitations extended earlier for their leaders to
visit Tokyo. After their individual audiences,
both Israeli ambassador Eli Cohen, and his
Palestinian counterpart, envoy Waleed Siam,
responded positively to Koizumi's overtures.
Reflecting Jerusalem's current thinking,
ambassador Cohen highlighted Japan's financial
assistance to the Palestinian Authority and its
good business relations with Israel, observing
that they "can be fruitful to Japan's efforts to
strengthen the peace between the two sides in the
region". He also emphasized what are seen as some
of Tokyo's advantages, describing it is "far away
from the conflict and … appreciated by both sides,
Palestinians as well as the Israelis." Currently,
Japan is providing the largest amount of
on-the-ground financial assistance to the
Palestinian Authority.
Cohen's remarks are
of particular importance because he is considered
a highly influential figure due to his close
personal friendship with Sharon and the Israeli
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.
Siam, the
Palestinian envoy to Japan, was also optimistic,
remarking, "The personal initiative of the
[Japanese] prime minister has brought it upon both
parties to come to Japan and talk, and to find a
solution, an equal solution." However, his remarks
carry less weight than Cohen's because the
Palestinian Authority only has a very limited
representation in Tokyo.
An upbeat Koizumi
explained why he wanted to see both men in person,
"I myself want to convey Japan's idea on the
Middle East peace process to both leaders."
Sharon is provisionally scheduled to visit
Tokyo in late May or early June, a timeframe that
would coincide with Abbas' itinerary. The Japanese
Foreign Ministry was careful to stress that the
primary purpose for inviting both leaders was not
a possible tripartite summit, but an informed
source has told Asia Times Online that the true
objective is a trilateral summit that Koizumi
would chair as mediator. Israeli and Palestinian
officials are already busy making tentative
preparations for the conference.
On March
10, it was confirmed that Israel's Deputy Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert and the Palestinian Prime
Minister Ahmed Qurei would attend a meeting in
Tokyo on April 12.
The agenda for the
meeting has not been completed, but a well-placed
source said, "Everything depends on how events
unfold on the ground over the coming month. If
Abbas can keep the activities of Palestinian
militants under check and he continues to display
a sincere commitment to Israeli security concerns,
then this meeting will probably give Japan its
opportunity to become a key player." However, the
source, speaking on condition of anonymity,
cautioned, "In the Middle East a lot can happen in
a month, I think the Japanese understand this and
are dampening down expectations until they can
confirm things."
Japan's Middle East
plans
If peace does emerge, the Japanese
Foreign Ministry already has a set of
comprehensive and phased policies on how to
implement its multi-pronged Palestinian assistance
proposals, the primary thrust of which is
economic. It is difficult to summarize the highly
detailed plans, but they fall into four broad
categories:
1) Helping revive the
Palestinian economy with financial aid to lift
Palestinian living standards;
2) Improving
Palestinian administrative and organizational
structures by training Palestinian
officials;
3) Improving the general Palestinian
environment by repairing and upgrading sewage
disposal, water supply, waste collection, street
cleaning, and other services;
4) Supporting
peace-building and conflict-prevention
measures.
Asia Times Online can also reveal
that over the past year a top Japanese diplomat
has made numerous trips to the Palestinian
territories to see what concrete measures Japan
can rapidly implement on the ground in order to
quickly improve the environment for Palestinians.
A speedy implementation of these measures would
markedly boost any nascent peace agreement.
One of the main problems with past accords
is that ordinary Palestinians did not see any
tangible improvements in their daily lives, thus
sapping the vital support needed to sustain
momentum. A senior Japanese diplomat, who did not
wish to be identified, said, "We have to try to
revive the Palestinian economy. There is an
enormous gap between the two sides, narrowing it
will be a key factor if we are to be successful."
Provisional estimates for 2004 show that
Japan was the major financial contributor to the
Palestinian Authority, something greatly
appreciated by ordinary Palestinians. Its economic
ties with Israel have also been on an upward
curve.
Dr John de Boer, a Japan-studies
fellow at the Stanford Institute for International
Studies, noted, "Reports indicate that Japan is
Israel's second-largest trading partner in Asia."
He added, "Israeli exports to Japan grew by 32%
while imports from Japan jumped 44% in 2004. This,
in addition to Japan's recent commitment to double
the amount of trade between the two countries from
an annual worth of $1.8 billion to $3 billion in
the near future."
Professor Harari is
positive about Japanese proposals and hopes they
can be expanded to include an Israeli element. He
suggested, "In addition to propping up the
Palestinian Authority, help to empower Palestinian
organizations of civil society, by means
tailor-made for each organization, and providing
democracy-oriented leadership training in which
both young Israelis and Palestinians participate."
Strong regional support for
Japan
Another power card in Tokyo's
arsenal is the fact that it is highly regarded in
the Arab world, enjoying strong economic and
political ties with all countries in the region.
For example, Japan is one of the largest providers
of financial assistance to Jordan, a key player in
any peace deal. Saker Malkawi, deputy head of the
Jordanian Embassy in London, summed up regional
sentiment, "I think that Japan has an important
role to play in the peace process." He added, "On
both the public and political front Japan is
viewed very favorably. Ordinary Jordanians have a
great respect for Japan. It's a popular country
and a friend of Jordan and the Middle East."
Although the dispatch of Japanese troops
on a humanitarian mission to Iraq upset some in
the region, skillful diplomacy by Tokyo has
managed to limit the fallout. Even Iran, which is
the most vocal opponent of Japanese involvement in
Iraq, has maintained good ties with Tokyo and even
sounds mildly positive about Japanese involvement
in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
On
the subject, Dr Seyed Mohammad Hossein Adeli,
Tehran's United Kingdom ambassador and its former
ambassador to Japan, told Asia Times Online, "In
situations of crisis, we wish whichever country
that wants to mediate in a situation of
international crisis good luck."
The
United States also supports Japanese efforts. One
America diplomat commented, "We are very pleased
by the Japanese initiatives. I wish other nations
would follow their example."
Breakdown
and breakthrough divide thin
Despite these
positive signs, not all experts believe Japan is
well positioned to make a significant
contribution. Dr de Boer of Stanford said: "Israel
definitely has a number of reservations regarding
the idea of Japan playing a more than economic
role in the negotiations. Despite claims to the
contrary, Japan is not viewed as a 'neutral'
arbiter. Among Israeli officials, Japan is
perceived to be 'pro-Arab'."
He explains,
"Israel recognizes that Japan has played and can
play an important role in helping to finance the
peace process, and there is widespread
understanding among Israeli officials that a
viable peace means a functioning Palestinian
economy and society, however, due to Japan's
historic orientation, I doubt that Israel would
want Japan to involve itself beyond a bankrolling
function."
Harari is far more upbeat,
believing Japan-Israeli relations are in great
shape. He argues, "Since the late 1980s, and
especially after the 1991 Gulf War and Madrid
Peace Conference, and the 1993 Oslo Accords,
Japan's relations with Israel have improved beyond
recognition."
However, while Japan's star
is rising in Jerusalem, the general public knows
little of its growing influence. A prominent
Israeli broadcaster, who did not wish to be
identified, observed, "In all honesty, Japan's
involvement in the peace process is not really
something most ordinary Israelis give any thought
to. It is just not covered in the Israeli media.
But on an international level, things are quite
different. In diplomatic circles Japan is
increasingly being seen as a key player. The
significant factor in its favor is that Japan is
trusted by both sides."
One seasoned
diplomat believes Japan's contribution will
probably be significant, but cautioned, "In the
Middle East, the difference between breakdown and
breakthrough is wafer thin."
J Sean
Curtin is a GLOCOM fellow at the Tokyo-based
Japanese Institute of Global Communications.
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