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Taro Kono starts well as Japan's foreign minister
Japan Foreign Minister Taro Kono has made an impressive start among his counterparts.
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Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono arrives for the ASEAN-Japan Ministerial Meeting of the 50th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional security forum in suburban Manila on August 6, 2017. The annual forum, hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), brings together the top diplomats from 26 countries and the European Union for talks on political and security issues in Asia-Pacific. (POOL/AFP/ Rolex DeLa Pena)
F
oreign Minister Taro Kono made his presence felt on his first overseas trip since taking the position last week. In fluent English, Kono exchanged opinions with other foreign ministers and distinguished himself on several occasions, including with an off-the-cuff counterargument to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Although Kono has made a solid start, however, the diplomatic arena contains many pending issues — and producing good results will not be easy.
On Tuesday evening, Kono wrapped up his series of meetings, including with foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three countries in the Philippines, and took a chartered flight to Nagasaki.
On Wednesday, he attended the annual memorial ceremony to commemorate the victims of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, where he spoke English with dignitaries including Lassina Zerbo, executive secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization.
Kono worked as an intern for a member of the US House of Representatives, and is widely regarded as the most accomplished English speaker in Japanese political circles. During his recent visit to the Philippines, he held talks with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson without the help of an interpreter.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wanted Kono to “bring his energy and ability into full play.” Living up to these expectations, Kono initiated and held a press conference Monday for foreign media outlets.
On Sunday, Kono also chatted with his North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, at an event attended by the foreign ministers of each attending nation.
During Kono’s talks with Wang, the Chinese foreign minister said he was “disappointed” by Kono’s remarks at the meeting of foreign ministers from member countries of the East Asia Summit framework. Kono shot back, “China needs to learn how to behave as a major country.”
However, Kono has also been careless on occasion. The front page of Tuesday’s edition of the Global Times, a Chinese newspaper, carried a photo of Kono bowing as he shook Wang’s hand. This caused some furrowed brows in the Japanese government.
“It’s a tactic by the paper that gives the impression China is higher in rank than Japan,” an aide to the prime minister said. “He acted carelessly.”
Despite this, a senior government official said of Kono: “He’s made a good start. If he continues to develop in this role, he could be a candidate to become prime minister.”
Kono has a packed schedule of diplomatic meetings, including the so-called two-plus-two meeting of the Japanese and US foreign and defense ministers due to be held in Washington on Aug. 17. The situation surrounding North Korea is becoming increasingly tense. Japan is dealing with issues involving China in the East China and South China seas, and the comfort women issue and other matters with South Korea. The tests of Kono’s diplomatic skills look set to continue.
This article appeared on The Japan News newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
