Speech by H.E. Ambassador Odano
at
The British Chamber of Commerce
Brussels, 19th February 2010
H.E. Nobutake Odano, Ambassador of Japan to the European Union
On February 19th, Ambassador Odano of the Mission of Japan to the European Union made a speech at the British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium, which was hosted by Chamber's EU Committee. The meeting was attended by about 30 business people and the participants engaged in a lively discussion on Japan-EU relations.
The following is the text of his speech:
"When we look back at 2009 and 2010 so far, it is evident that Japan and the EU have gone through significant changes. The EU has entered a new stage with the Lisbon Treaty. Permanent President of the Council Van Rompuy, High Representative Ashton, President Barroso and his new Commission were appointed. In Japan, the Democratic Party of Japan, the DPJ, succeeded the Liberal Democratic Party, the LDP, which was in power for nearly half a century with some brief exceptions. The DPJ formed a new government last September. Dr. Yukio Hatoyama assumed office as Prime Minister.
Coincidentally, this year is the final year of the Japan-EU Action Plan which was adopted in 2001. This Action Plan has guided us for the past 10 years and forged a solid partnership. Now we need new visions to cope with the changing world. The timing is more than appropriate for starting deliberation on a new basis for relations by reviewing what we have achieved and indeed, what we have needed to achieve desired results. Part of such efforts was the Symposium on the Future of Japan-EU Relations which was held in Brussels 10 days ago. About 140 representatives of business, academic, media, and civil society as well as officials of Japan and the EU engaged in lively discussions on future Japan-EU cooperation on various global and bilateral issues.
Today, I would like to highlight the important role which Japan and the EU can play in tackling the difficult challenges faced by the international community, which, it could be said, is one and the same as discussing the future of the world.
Japan and the EU are like-minded partners who share the same fundamental belief in principles such as democracy, the rule of law, human rights, the market economy and sustainable development. We should recognize that Japan and the EU are among the main stabilizing forces in world politics and the world economy although people have a tendency to pay more attention to emerging economies. Further strengthening the cooperation between the two in a global context will lead to a better future for all. What Japan and the EU need is an active engagement to nurture the potential strength of mutual cooperation by specifying common challenges and carrying out concrete actions.
In September last year, at the U.N. General Assembly, Prime Minister Hatoyama announced five challenges that Japan intends to take on in serving as a “bridge” for the world, between the Orient and the West, between developed and developing countries and between diverse civilizations. I believe Japan and the EU have the capacity to expand cooperation on a number of challenges.
(The Global Economic Crisis)
The first of these challenges is the global economic crisis. Large economies such as Japan and the EU have a responsibility to carry out measures to construct a stable economic and financial system which promotes sustainable growth with more employment opportunities. The system must also be capable of averting similar crises in the future. In this context, the EU is formulating “the EUROPE 2020 Strategy”. Japan, having to deal with a rapid ageing and low birth-rate, has prepared outlines of “New Growth Strategy” in December 2009 aiming toward the same timeframe. The strategy is aimed at sustainable growth by tapping into Japan’s strength in the field of environment, energy, and health. It is a clean and green strategy. It will also open new frontiers by promoting economic integration in Asia and revitalizing the domestic local economy. In this regard, I strongly believe that there are a lot of potential for Japan-EU cooperation in enhancing prosperity and sustainable development towards the year of 2020. Likewise, Japan and the EU shared the position that the current WTO Doha Round should be successfully concluded within this year as pledged in the G20 Summit in Pittsburg, last September. Japan will continue to cooperate with the EU and together play leading roles towards its end while rejecting protectionist policies to achieve freer and fairer global trade.
(Climate Change)
The second challenge is climate change. The COP15 came to an end with a majority of participating countries taking note of the Copenhagen Accord. The Japanese government considers it a meaningful accomplishment. At the Informal High-Level Event on December 18th, Prime Minister Hatoyama, in his statement, reiterated Japan’s aim to reduce its emissions by 25% by 2020 compared to the 1990 levels. He also announced to provide assistance to developing countries to the amount of about $15 billion in total up to 2012, including $11 billion in public financing. These are premised upon the establishment of a fair and effective international framework by all major economies and agreement on their ambitious targets. This announcement of 25% reduction revitalized the preparation process towards the COP15 Copenhagen Meeting. Based on the result of the COP15, it is now our task to draw up a comprehensive new legal document in which all major emitters including the U.S. and China participate within this year. Japan and the EU, which envisage over and above what was achieved at the COP15, should continue to encourage other countries to promote a more ambitious commitment and work together towards our shared goal. As part of domestic efforts, the Japanese government is preparing to submit a basic law on climate change to the Diet by the end of March to establish a low-carbon economy.
(Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation)
The third challenge is that of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We must strive to achieve a world without nuclear weapons. President Obama proposed his vision for this goal in Prague in April, 2009. The U.N. Security Council Summit on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Nuclear Disarmament was held in New York in last September. Japan, as the only country which has suffered from atomic bombs in 1945, can be a “bridge” between “haves” and “have-nots”, and be a promoter of nuclear disarmament. This year in May, we are expecting NPT Review Conference in New York, which is important for maintaining and strengthening the NPT regime. Japan, with the EU, will make every effort to accelerate momentum towards that goal and contribute to the success of the Conference.
(Peace-building, Development and Poverty alleviation)
The fourth challenge is the issue of peace-building, development and poverty alleviation. We must pursue a society free from fear of war and terrorism. In this regard, on November 10th, Japan announced a new assistance package to Afghanistan and Pakistan including a maximum of $5 billion in assistance to Afghanistan over the next 5 years. Japanese and European experts are working together on the ground in Afghanistan. Japan and the EU also share many common goals for the Middle East Peace Process and African development. We need more coordinated actions for the same goals.
I must mention the devastating earthquake in Haiti as well. Japan quickly started relief and reconstruction efforts. First, a Disaster Relief Team consisting of rescue and medical experts was sent promptly. Secondly, Japan has pledged approximately $70 million in aid. Thirdly Japan airlifted 160 members of the Self-Defence Forces (SDF), the first batch of the 350-member unit, to Haiti to engage in UN peacekeeping operations, MINUSTAH. The troops are equipped with a bulldozer and other heavy construction vehicles. They have been assisting reconstruction efforts of the local community by removing rubble and repairing roads. Japan suffers from frequent earthquakes. We, Japanese people, vividly remember and remain grateful to the kind help offered by the international community when the Great Hanshin Earthquake hit Kobe City and its vicinity in the western part of Japan in 1995. Conscious of that help, this time Japan will readily assist people in Haiti for its reconstruction together with other donors including the EU. Japan can apply knowledge gained by past experiences of relief efforts.
(Building an East Asia Community)
Another aspiration of Japan is to build an “East Asian Community”. Japan will become a “bridge” among the Asian countries to reduce the region’s security risks and share each others’ economic dynamism by utilizing regional forums such as APEC, which Japan is holding the presidency this year. Prime Minister Hatoyama stated in the major policy speech to the Diet in January that Japan would pursue the ideal model of open regional community in East Asia. In this context, he pointed out the EU’s deepening integration and the appointment of Permanent President of the Council. That reflected his strong interest in Europe, which will be an impetus for stronger Japan-EU relations.
Besides those 5 challenges, I also would like to briefly touch upon the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden. While the EU is running operation “Atalanta”, Japan is conducting escort operations with frigates and is conducting warning and surveillance activities by P-3C patrol aircraft. There were several cases where European cargo ships escaped from potential pirate attacks thanks to the information provided by Japan’s P-3C patrol aircraft. This type of cooperation between Japan and the EU may not be widely known, but this case shows us an excellent example of keeping trade routes safe and how both parties can cooperate in the field of security.
What I wish to stress most today is that there is much more potential for stronger Japan-EU relations which can contribute to better responses to global challenges. As part of efforts to strengthen the relations, Japan and the EU are working on further economic integration as leaders of both sides agreed at the 18th Japan-EU summit in Prague in May, 2009. Japan and the EU have been making significant efforts to address a few specific non-tariff issues, envisioning a possible Japan-EU EPA, which will bring the relations up to a higher stage. Aside from this, rapid ageing, a declining birth-rate, consumer protection and social security system are a few examples of the fields where Japan and the EU can lead the world through close cooperation. We must try to find ways to enlarge our mutual interest and then translate them into concrete actions. It is my sincere hope that this presentation has been an opportunity for you to reevaluate and recognise the value of strong Japan-EU ties."