'We share mutual values'

Japan?s Foreign Minister Taro Aso is one of two politicians tipped to succeed Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi when he retires. A Liberal Democratic Party stalwart, Aso was in New Delhi on an official visit on Wednesday. He spoke to Manoj Joshi.

Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Aso is one of two politicians tipped to succeed Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi when he retires. A Liberal Democratic Party stalwart, Aso was in New Delhi on an official visit on Wednesday. He spoke to Manoj Joshi.

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Excerpts from the exclusive interview:

What made you choose India for one of your first bilateral visits?

I came here five years ago and we visited Bangalore and saw the new phenomenon of the Indian IT industry and I had a sixth sense about India. I think we are very good at hardware, but software in India is very good and we can harmonise this. In India we see another economically strong nation in Asia emerging, besides Japan, with whom we can share mutual values such as democracy and free markets.

How do you view the larger issue of peace prospects in Asia?

The Cold War ended in 1989-90, in the western part of Eurasia, but in the East you still have one-party dictatorships going on in at least two countries. Maybe there is détente in (East Asia) but Cold War structures are still there. But at the same time they (China) are expanding their economy — free market under the socialist model. Japan welcomes this economic expansion. Once this happens, a middle-class will come up automatically. Middle-classes are not obedient servants of the government, they say what they think. It (democracy) will take some time, but it is a good trend currently in China.

What’s been the follow-up to Koizumi’s visit to India last year?

First of all realising the East Asia community. Then, the Japan-India joint study group, set up in July last year, have agreed we will seriously consider the possibility of an economic partnership.According to Enoki (the Japanese ambassador in New Delhi), the number of Japanese companies at the time of Koizumi’s visit in April 2005), was 300 and now after nine months, it has increased to 330.

Feasibility studies for the 2,800 km freight corridor linking Delhi to Mumbai and Kolkata are going to be started. This will be a symbol of the friendship between Japan and India. Besides these big projects, there will be, I am sure, several middle-sized enterprises looking for opportunities in India.

Can you outline the agenda for India and Japan in coming years?

So far Japan and India have cooperated in UN reform and realisation of East Asia community. We would like to expand this partnership to deal with terrorism, non-proliferation and maritime security. In the area of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), India is going to be the largest recipient of yen loans for three successive years. We would like to enhance our human exchanges in Japanese language, technology and youth exchange programmes. The Japanese government will launch a three year programme for the exchange tours of 4,000 people.

We are going to relax visa procedures for Indian businessmen, we have relaxed the issuance of multiple-entry visas for three years. Our security dialogue will also be enhanced and your defence minister (Pranab Mukherji) is expected to come to Japan this year. We can enhance our cooperation in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation and we are going to launch an annual director-general level dialogue in this area.

What has Japan’s experience of cooperation with India in the G-4 effort for UN reform?

(Laughs) Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it (to the UN Security Council), but it was a very good first try.