Going Backward with Russia

In the midst of international effort for standing against terrorism, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did his best for improving the relationship with Russia. Abe had a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Antalya, Turkey, where world leaders were gathering for G20 Summit meeting, to achieve progress in the Northern Territory issue. While both leaders agreed on determining the most appropriate timing for Putin to visit Japan, the outcome meant the bilateral relationship was going backward, because Putin’s visit had to be done years before.

In the thirty-minute meeting, they reconfirmed to continue bilateral dialogue on leader’s level. “I positively evaluate stable procedure of dialogues and exchanges in broad area,” Abe said to Putin, “ and the important thing to put the relationship forward is keeping our talks.”

According to the announcement of Japanese officials, both leaders spent more than a half of the meeting for the territorial issue and “frankly exchanged their opinions.” They reconfirmed that they would pursue a resolution acceptable for both sides, based on the joint statement in April 2013. Putin evaluated vice-minister level meeting resumed last month as “very meaningful.” They also agreed on reinforcing bilateral relationship in security and economic cooperation.

Even how much they accumulate trivial agreement, Putin’s visit to Japan must be the greatest achievement for the improvement of Japan-Russia relationship. Both leaders once agreed on Putin’s visit to Japan in the fall of 2014. It was postponed to “appropriate time” in 2015, after Russia’s invasion to Crimea. As the crisis in Ukraine prolonged, Abe offered Putin in this September to visit Japan in the spring of 2016. Abe hoped to welcome Putin just before G8 Summit in Japan next May.

While Japan was struggling for determining actual timing of Putin’s visit, Russia began to seek Abe’s visit to Russia before Putin would go to Japan. According to Interfax News Agency, a spokesman of Kremlin told that it was possible for Abe to do that. Putin invited Abe to a regional place in Russia in Antalya meeting.

For Russia, Putin’s visit to Japan is not for settling the dispute over Northern Territory, but for drawing further economic cooperation from Japan. It is obvious that Western nations will be frustrated with unilateral extension of a helping hand to Russia that keeps on occupying a part of Ukraine. Japanese Prime Minister and Ministry of Foreign Affairs need to realize that it is difficult for them to gain any unilateral progress in the time when integrated international action is needed.

Sixty Years of Conservative Party

Sixty years had passed on Sunday, since Liberal Democratic Party had been established by the merge of Japan Democratic Party and Liberal Party in 1955. LDP was in charge of leading Japanese administration for most of postwar period. While it has been a party to represent conservative movements, LDP had an aspect of the reformer, trying to meet various demands of the people. Now, the party looks like returning old conservatism under the leadership of retrogressive Prime Minister.

International regime in Cold War caused political integrations both on the conservative and the leftist in 1955. LDP started its history in the time of reintegration of Socialist Party of Japan. Since then, LDP has been in charge of leading Japanese government except one year of coalitional administrations led by Morihiro Hosokawa and Tsutomu Hata in 1990s and three years by Democratic Party of Japan between 2009 and 2012. “Recognizing our original concept that politics is for the people, we will promote ambitious future-looking reforms, listening to the voices from region,” told LDP Secretary General, Sadakazu Tanigaki, in his statement delivered on Sunday.

While it includes constitutional amendment in its party manifesto, LDP had long been devoted to economic progress of Japan without actual efforts for reviewing Constitution of Japan. It was Jun-ichiro Koizumi administration when internal movement for the amendment grew in the party. As supposed to be a successor of Koizumi politics, Abe has been active in reviewing Constitution of Japan. Although he avoided stepping into constitutional amendment last year, when he changed traditional interpretation of Article 9 that the Constitution was prohibiting exercise of collective self-defense, Abe has still been ambitious to integrate conservative power enough to take initiative in the Diet.

In the process of reintegration of conservative movement, fractions in LDP became less active these years. In the presidential election of LDP in 1956, lawmakers in the party were categorized into five groups led by candidates: Nobusuke Kishi, Ichiro Kono, Takeo Miki, Hayato Ikeda and Eisaku Sato. It was the starting point of fraction politics of LDP, which caused money scandals represented by Lockheed Scandal of Kakusi Tanaka. Under unilateral leadership of Koizumi or Abe, political groups in LDP lost their power.

One character of LDP had been party-oriented politics, in which party leaders had great influence to Prime Minister’s office. Distribution of wealth rooted on party organization that reflected various voices from regions is no longer needed in low-growth economy these years. It is fair to say that Abe is taking advantage of that political tendency for his top-down style politics. The point is whether that authoritarianism will be welcomed by the people.

Essay Shaken by Terrorist Attack

Newspapers decorated the front page with huge headlines and photographs, reporting simultaneous terrorist attack in Paris followed by criminal statement by Islamic State. While French President, François Hollande, recognized the terrorism as war in France, the Japanese media realized the attacks on civil society as retaliation against France’s involvement in concerted effort to eliminate Islamic extremist terrorism. However, no prescription for protecting the country from terrorist attacks has been found in Japan.

Japanese newspapers reported that the attacks killed one hundred twenty-seven people, Hollande immediately issued the declaration of emergency on all over the country and IS warned the world that the event was simply the beginning of a storm. Eight terrorists at least were committed to the consecutive assaults in six places including soccer stadium in exhibition match between France and Germany, night club in a concert of American rock band or café and restaurant clouded in a Friday evening. The attack obviously targeted innocent civilian life in Paris.

Why Paris, anyway? Japanese media connected the event to current involvement of France in the operation of air raid on IS in Syria or Iraq and terrorist assault on a satirical weekly newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, in Paris. It was stressed that France has been embracing potentiality of terrorism with growing immigrants that had caused public frustration stemming from the gap between the rich and poor. France was depicted as one of the soft targets in the Western world.

Major countries denounced the terrorism and expressed solidarity with the French. President of United States, Barack Obama, called Hollande and offered every support for investigation on the criminals. Russian President, Uladimir Putin, send Hollande a telegram to require international cooperation to fight those terrorisms. Even Chinese President, Xi Jinping, expressed “the strongest accusation against this barbaric activity.”

Japan joined the collective denouncement on the terrorist organization. “No matter what the reason, this kind of devilish and contemptible terrorism cannot be tolerated and I firmly criticize it,” told Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a message to Hollande. He was in Istanbul to attend G20 Summit Meeting in Turkey. “Japan will closely cooperate with France and international society to deter terrorism,” said Abe to the reporters in Istanbul.

However, Japan can actually not join air raid on IS. It can do mostly nothing in military operation to dismantle the terrorist organization. One shocking thing was that the terrorism in Paris occurred under tight security for coming international conference on climate change later this month. An immediate headache for Japanese government is how to protect world leaders in G8 Summit Meeting in Japan next May.

Ultimatum on Nuclear Recycle

Nuclear Regulation Authority on Friday recommended Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Hiroshi Hase, replace the operational body of the Fast Breeder Reactor named Monju in Fukui. In short, Japan Atomic Energy Agency was labeled as incompetent in the development of technology for nuclear fuel recycle. It may lead to dismantlement of a project, which once a great hope for nuclear village in Japan.

The recommendation strongly questioned qualification of JAEA as an operational body of Monju. “Time has passed without any achievement after the accident of sodium leakage in 1995, in spite of various effort for security,” told the recommendation. NRA was frustrated with JAEA, having no achievement to take regulative measures, and the Ministry, failing in losing control on it.

NRA explained why JAEA had to leave. The authority issued two orders to take security measures in December 2012 and May 2013. Nevertheless, JAEA has not been in a situation for reconfirming the result of required measures. “We cannot suppose,” said the recommendation, “that one unable to take appropriate and firm security measures during the reactors are not in operation will be able to do that in the time of operation.” NRA dismissed JAEA’s viability as an operator of nuclear power plant.

NRA also denounced the Ministry in charge of science and technology. “Although the authority have been urging the Ministry to appropriately oversee JAEA, no effort was rewarded in terms of making actual improvement in the activities of the agency,” said the recommendation. Having said that, NRA required the Ministry to determine the alternative operating body and make a fundamental review on the facility for nuclear power generation called Monju within a half year.

When passing over the recommendation, Chairman of NRA, Shun-ichi Tanaka, told Hase that it would not be easy to find an alternative body. Although Hase asked advice from the authority, Tanaka did not reply and finished the dialogue in only three minutes. JAEA has been lazy as if it were ignoring the requirements from the regulatory body of national government.

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, dealing with nuclear power generation, does not care about the crisis of nuclear fuel recycling project, showing no interest in finding an alternative operating body of Monju. Fast breeder reactor, capable of generating more fissile material than it consumes, has been a hopeful technology for the nuclear village in Japan. But, they seem to be awaking from the dream.

Democratic Victory in the Last Frontier

As days pass from the voting for general election, regime change in Myanmar is getting realistic. National League for Democracy, led by charismatic woman leader Aung San Suu Kyi, announced on Thursday that it secured 400 seats out of 664 in the congress, which made the birth of new democratic administration likely. Japan has to explore new relationship with the last frontier in Asian economy.

To the land-sliding victory of NLD, incumbent President, Thein Sein, already admitted the defeat of leading Union Solidarity and Development Party and congratulated Suu Kyi. Thein Sein promised smooth transition of administrative power. Foreign nations are recognizing new democratic administration. President of United States made a phone call to Suu Kyi to cerebrate her victory. “President Thein Sein should be proud of this historical turning point. Bold reform by the President addressed the future of Myanmar,” Obama told Thein Sein, according to a news report in Japan.

25% of all seats, 166, are occupied by the military. The election was held for the rest of 498 seats. According to official announcement, NLD occupied 291 out of 359 fixed seats, taking 80% share of voted seats. Military-led USDP won as few as 33 seats.

Myanmar Congress has bicameral system. The President will be elected from three candidates, candidates of people’s representatives of each house and of the military of both houses. But, a person who has foreign family cannot make presidency in legal provision in Myanmar. Suu Kyi is not eligible for the president, because she has a son with nationality of United Kingdom.

Suu Kyi is ambitions to be a supreme power in Myanmar, overwhelming new coming President. “I will decide everything as the leader of the party. The President has no power,” told Suu Kyi as soon as the voting was finished. Although result of the election was supported long democratic movement led by Suu Kyi, her bold remark caused criticism to new despotism. “Suu Kyi is saying that she wanted to amend the constitution made by old military regime,” told an officer of NLD.

Japan also is concerning the future of Myanmar. It has been said that Suu Kyi does not have good impression on Japan, because Japan has been supporting military administration with development aid, while the Western nations were taking sanctions. Although Japanese government invited Suu Kyi to Japan and met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, its effect on bilateral relation is not clear. In the situation that Myanmar is approaching China expecting great economic progress, reinforcement of Japan-U.S. alliance may cause further distance from emerging regime in Myanmar.

To Stop Administrative Extravagant

Administrative Reform Promotion Council, headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, had an open meeting for verification of Administrative Project Review on Wednesday. The council recommended Japan Atomic Energy Agency to consider future options, including disuse of a ship for transporting used nuclear fuel, which had mostly been unused these years. In the meeting, a number of administrative extravagances were exposed to criticisms.

JAEA built in 2006 a ship named Kaiei-maru to transport used nuclear fuel produced from an advanced thermal reactor, Fugen, which ceased its operation in 2003 and had been left to be dismantled. Although Japanese government poured ¥10 billion to the ship so far, it operated for transportation only four times. The ship has not used, since November 2011.

Kaiei-maru had been moored for 342 days in the Port of Muroran, Hokkaido, last fiscal year. It actually left the port for only four times to have maintenance. Although it has only been the ship for the purpose in Japan, Kaiei-maru lost its raison d’être as Fugen was in the process of dismantlement and new fast-breeder reactor, Monju, had been hopeless. “We cannot spend money for a project unexplainable to the people,” told Minister in Charge of Administrative Reform, Taro Kono, in the meeting on Wednesday.

Projects related to nuclear energy became direct targets in the review. Subsidy for building new nuclear power generation plant in Oma, Aomori, by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry was also criticized as inefficient. The plant has been recognized as being to be the first facility in the world to use mixed oxide fuel in every reactor. While METI has spent ¥29 billion to support its technological development since 1996, only 4% of the money from national budget was actually used. The council required the operating body, J Power, to return the money unspent.

However, the review is not a project that determines the fate of administrative projects, which method was once employed in the administration of Democratic Party of Japan. Ministries will voluntarily decide which project should be continued or killed. While Kono has been regarded as a prominent reformer in Liberal Democratic Party, it is unclear whether he can suppress resistance from bureaucracy for continuing past projects.

Abe administration has not been so positive in administrative reform. For his political agenda, including advanced military capability, Abe has been appropriating a great amount of money from national budget. It is not Kono, but Prime Minister, who has to be the reformist leader for saving tax money.

Pro-baseball Betrayers

The Commissioner of Nippon Professional Baseball, Katsuhiko Kumazaki, made a decision to permanently disqualify three pitchers affiliated to Yomiuri Giants on Tuesday. They were suspected as committing gambling over baseball games, which should be accused to be inappropriate as professional baseball players. This is the first case for NPB to be involved in major gambling case since 1969, when match-fixing by the players with Nishitetsu Lions, or Black Fog Incident, shook the pro-baseball leagues.

Three players involved in gambling were Satoshi Fukuda, Shoki Kasahara and Ryuya Matsumoto. Giants announced last month that Fukuda had involved in gambling over high-school baseball championship this year and some games of Giants. Later, it was revealed that the relationship between Fukuda and a private gambler was introduced by Kasahara. Kasahara and Matsumoto committed gambling over ten or more pro-baseball games last year. The Contract of NPB prohibits pro-baseball players commit any gambling.

Permanent disqualification is the heaviest penalty following permanent expulsion. As long as evidence of match-fixing was not found from three players, the commissioner chose the second-worst penalty. NPB also vested penalty on Giants of ¥10 million for its failure in controlling its players. Although Giants, as the first professional baseball team in Japan, had been a central figure of popularity to baseball, credibility not on the team but on the pro-baseball as a whole may collapse with the scandal.

One important point is whether the gambling was about three players and a private gambler. It is common that illegal mafia has been involved in baseball gambling behind the scenes. Gambling is generally one of the major incomes for yakuza organization. In 2010, a number of sumo wrestlers and coaches were exposed as committing match-fixing and baseball gambling, which was presented by some members of Japanese mafia. It is doubted that baseball league might also have close relationship with criminal organizations.

NPB has to expose all facts about the gambling scandal. Although pro-baseball is recognized in a context of business, it is also a matter of education for kids or popular amusement prevalent in the society. If the players had been committing match-fixing, it should be a betrayer to the public. Gambling is generally a crime in Japanese laws. Some other players with Giants are suspected as being involved in other gambling cases. Police or prosecutors office have to reveal true story inside professional baseball leagues.