Source: LTN
Japan, the world’s 3rd largest economy that is trapped by its
stagnant economy, is venturing into new overseas market to boost its
investments so as to revitalize the sluggish economy and seek more
international influence.
The East Asian country, now, holds a large international conference
from this Saturday to Monday participated by African leaders to discuss
the development of the continent, which now maintains a high speed of
economic growth rate.
The Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development
(TICAD V), under the theme of “hand in hand with a more dynamic Africa,”
attracted leaders and delegates from over 40 of 54 African countries.
Compared with 13 firms in last fair, more than 70 Japanese companies,
covering water purification, transportation, communication, health care
and food industry, attended the African Fair 2013, an affiliated event
of the TICAD V, showing their ambitions to pioneer the dynamic African
market.
African countries as a whole remain a world’s powerhouse with an
average 5.8-percent growth rate in gross domestic product since Y 2000,
while overseas direct investment in the continent tripled from US$15-B
in Y 2002 to about US$50-B in Y 2012, according to official figures.
Since Japan suspended its nuclear power facilities after the
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster in Y 2011, the resource- poor
country is eager to discover more energy deposits worldwide to meet its
tremendous shortage.
The energy crisis made Japan re-recognized Africa’s role in energy
support to Japan as several African countries such as Libya, Nigeria and
Angola are oil and natural gas giant exporters in the world. Both on
investments in and trade with Africa, Japan is way behind countries like
the United States, France, India and China.
The continent preserves a great number of minerals, particularly rare
earth that Japan needs badly for its high-tech industries. Japan and
South Africa last month agreed to accelerate a joint rare earth program
in an effort to diversify its import channel.
Besides economic co-operation, Japan also focuses on enhancing
political ties with African countries so as to increase the countries
global influence.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hosted a special session under the
TICAD V on situation in Somalia Friday and will chair a meeting between
leaders of Africa and Japan to address U.N. Security Council reform
Monday.
The Japanese government has approved a revision of the SDF law to
allow the forces use land vehicles to transport Japanese and other
nationals overseas and the government is also planning to revise the
country’s constitution to allow the SDF exercise collective self-defense
rights.
Not only with the consideration of booming Japan-Africa ties, but
also in a more deeply geopolitical thinking, Japan’s “out- going”
diplomacy attempts to change its awkward position in neighborhoods as
its right-deviation and repeated provocative words, indeed, angered
neighboring countries.
Under such circumstances, Japan has to focus on other destinations to blanket its weak performances in Northeast Asia.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh just concluded his 4 day visit
to Japan Thursday with about a US$700-M Japanese loan for Mumbai’s
subway project and another US$3.48-B for other 8 projects in hand.
New Delhi and Tokyo said they will finish a nuclear co-operation
agreement that started in Y 2010 as soon as possible in a move to boost
India’s nuclear energy generation, as well as Japan’s economy under
Abe’s growth strategy.
“I would like to strengthen relations between Japan and India based
on a strategic and global partnership,” Mr. Abe told a joint press
conference after met with Singh Wednesday.
Mr. Singh, for his part, said India attaches “particular importance
to intensifying political dialogue, strategic consultations and
progressively strengthening defense relations including through naval
exercises and collaboration on defense technology.”
Following the 2 countries’ 1st joint-naval drills in last June,
Messrs Abe and Singh “decided to conduct such exercises on a regular
basis with increased frequency,” according to an official statement
released after their meeting.
The 2 nations will also discuss ways to cooperate on using Japan’s
US-2 amphibious aircraft designed for air-sea rescue operations.
On the back of Abe’s recent trip to Myanmar, the latest talks with
Mr. Singh could be interpreted by Japan’s neighbors as “locking down”
its maritime security alliances amid a changing environment in the East
China Sea, analysts said.
On 26 May, also following his “economic diplomacy,” Abe, who was
accompanied by about 40 business leaders, ended his visit to Myanmar,
the 1st time for a Japanese prime minister in 36 yrs.
During his meeting with Myanmar President Thein Sein, Abe said Japan
will support the Southeast Asian country’s development through both
governmental and civil channel by providing official development
assistance worth 900 million dollars and further waiving US$1.98-B debt
that Myanmar owed to Japan.
Analysts say that although Japan seeks to enhance its economic ties
with Myanmar, it is really trying to improve its influence in the
country, even in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN, out
of geopolitical reasons, as political and security thinking is always
behind economic co-operation.
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