Asia Times: Obuchi promoting Japanese influence in Asean



	January 8, 2000	atimes.com

Southeast Asia

Obuchi promoting Japanese influence in Asean
By Suvendrini Kakuchi

TOKYO - Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's trip to Southeast Asia on Monday marks a diplomatic offensive aimed at strengthening Japan's stature and profile in the region.

A major topic on the Japanese leader's agenda is discussions with his Asian counterparts on the upcoming Group of Eight (G-8) summit, in keeping with Japan's desire to reflect the views of Asia during the high-level meeting. Japan, the world's second largest economy, is the only Asian G-8 member. Obuchi told the press in December that he wants hear the opinions of several Asian leaders before the July G-8 meeting in a bid to make the summit ''more attractive to Asia''.

Obuchi will arrive in Cambodia on Monday, and hold talks with Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk, fly to Laos for two days, and end his tour in Thailand, where he will meet with Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai as well as King Bhumibol Adulyadej and some Thai university students. During his tour, he is expected to reiterate Japan's support for the Asian economies in both financial and technical sectors, as well as outline an intention to help social development.

Obuchi's visit to Cambodia will be the first by a Japanese prime minister in 43 years. There, Obuchi will extend a fund for the clearing of land mines which were planted throughout the country during the civil war in the 1970s and 1980s and which continue to kill and maim Cambodians.

Japan has played a major role in the reconstruction of Cambodia over the past few years. Tokyo pledged more than $100 million in an aid conference it hosted in February last year. A Japanese national, Yasushi Akashi led the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (Untac). ''The visit marks Japan's first after the civil war and is meant to clearly state Japan's continuing commitment to development of Cambodia,'' says Keiji Omura, senior economist at the Institute of Developing Economies, a high-level research organization.

The Japanese media has also reported that Tokyo is planning to dispatch a Japanese judge to participate in a scheduled United Nations trial of former Khmer Rouge leaders in Cambodia, alleged to be responsible for the genocide of millioins of Cambodians between 1975 and 1979. The dispatch of a Japanese judge, if realized, would be a new landmark in Japan's cooperation with Asia. ''A Japanese judge would be sent with the intention of helping Asian countries to understand the Japanese judicial system, a development in Japan's growing prominence in the region,'' says Omura.

While economic relations with Cambodia are low-key in comparison to Tokyo's relations with the more robust economies of Southeast Asia, Cambodia has also had a key role as the springboard for Japan's higher-profile diplomacy in Asia. Japan's first peacekeeping operations were launched during the Untac operations leading to UN-supervised polls in Cambodia. That marked an important turnaround in Japan's foreign policy, which was restricted until then to financial contributions normally called ''chequebook diplomacy''.

Obuchi's trip to Laos also marks the first visit by a Japanese prime minister in 33 years. Obuchi will emphasize Japan's support for the country's economic reform efforts.

Obuchi's talks in Thailand are expected to include a discussion on Japan's proposal for an Asian Monetary Fund, which would be a framework allowing Tokyo to help countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The fund is seen by many quarters as a counterpart to the American-led International Monetary Fund that has been criticized for implementing austere fiscal polices and structural reforms on Asian developing economies.

Southeast Asia has welcomed the plan despite objections from Washington. Likewise, Asean is keen to see economic integration and most members would like closer political and security issues under the leadership of Japan, especially after the economic crisis that prompted many to look to their region for support.

Japanese aid to Southeast Asian countries is seen as playing a key role in the recovery of their economies. During the November informal summit of Asean in Manila, which included Japan, China and South Korea, Obuchi announced a new $500 million package for Southeast Asia that focuses on training and development of human resources. The package aimed to promote regional cooperation in several areas, and to express support for long-term economic policies that reduce independence on the US dollar.

Kiichi Miyazawa, Japan's finance minister, is keen that Japan go ahead with the Asian Monetary Fund which will boost the role of the yen in Asia.

(Inter Press Service)

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