RI hopes no major change in Japan's foreign policy

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 09/28/2006 9:30 AM

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

While congratulating Japan on the election of its new prime minister, Shinzo Abe, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry has said it hopes Japan does not deviate too far from its current foreign policy toward Indonesia and the region.

""We congratulate Japan on the election of its new prime minister. We hope there is no drastic change in its current foreign policy, which has been able to improve Japan-Indonesia bilateral relations and the condition of the region in general,"" Foreign Ministry secretary-general Imron Cotan told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

He was optimistic that bilateral relations would further improve, stressing that the two countries had a very firm foundation for future cooperation because of the tight ties between them.

Japan is Indonesia's largest trading partner. Two-way trade amounted to US$24.9 billion last year, with an $11.1 billion surplus in Indonesia's favor. Japan is also among Indonesia's largest investors, with approved investment plans amounting to $1.68 billion last year

Imron also hoped that Japan would continue to play a key role in the region as a stabilizing force to create a more prosperous and peaceful region.

Meanwhile, analysts agreed that under Abe, Japan, which has the world's second-biggest economy after the U.S., would be more assertive in its foreign policies, enabling it to play a greater role in world politics as a manifestation of its economic power.

""The region will experience a more dynamic condition because of a more assertive Japan with Abe at the helm,"" Makmur Keliat, an expert in international relations from the University of Indonesia, told the Post.

Makmur said that although Abe, considered more of a ""hawk"" than his predecessor, was likely to continue with most of Koizumi's foreign policies, he would also insist on a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and constitutional amendments to enable the rearmament of Japan's armed forces.

Makmur said that whether the region plunged into deeper conflicts would also depend on China's reactions.

Aside from political and economic rivalry, relations between China, South Korea and Japan deteriorated during Koizumi's term because he repeatedly visited the Yasukuni war shrine, which honors war criminals among Japan's war dead.

China and South Korea -- both brutally colonized by Japan in the last century -- say the shrine glorifies Japan's past militarism. Chinese President Hu Jintao has refused since last year to meet with Koizumi.

While agreed that Japan would become more assertive, a researcher from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Begi Hersutanto, was optimistic that Abe would be careful not to jeopardize Japan's good relations with its neighbors, including members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

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