Japan Information and Culture Center, EMBASSY OF JAPAN PRIME MINISTER, PRESIDENT BUSH PLEDGE ENHANCED COOPERATION In one of his first official calls overseas following his inauguration, President George W. Bush telephoned Prime Minister Mori Jan. 24 to praise the importance of U.S.-Japan ties. “You are one of the leaders I call first,” the President said. I “This is a symbol of the close relationship between the U.S. and Japan...I would like to further develop this close relationship.” In congratulating Bush on his inauguration, the Prime Minister said: “Japan is determined to cooperate with the United States through close dialogue, in order to ensure peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the world, based upon our shared values such as freedom, democracy and market economy.” The two agreed to meet soon. Foreign Minister Yohei Kono visited Washington Jan. 25-28 for talks with Secretary of State Colin Powell, which covered joint efforts to tackle global issues. And in January, Mr. Mori became the first FEB 2001 incumbent Japanese Prime Minister to attend the Davos World 2 Economic Forum summit in Switzerland of top world political, economic and academic leaders. He spoke on “Shaping Japan, Shaping CONTENTS a Global Future,” striking an optimistic note: “Japan will finish News Digest reinventing its economy within a few years, and will stand once again First Africa trip; Kono on Gulf cooperation; at the forefront of the global economy and contribute to it...a path has WTO chief in Tokyo; aid for India quake; “Human Security” commission. 2 already been solidly laid, and I am determined to implement the timely policy responses that will lead the economy to a full recovery,” he said. Condolences for sea tragedy 2 Also, the Prime Minister opened the 151st session of the Diet on Jan. 31, which will carry out administration reform and craft a budget for Reinventing government the fiscal year starting in April. On diplomatic matters, he told New structure to streamline the system. 3 legislators he will coordinate closely with key allies and, “strengthen the strategic dialogue to enhance the credibility of the Japan-U.S. Convening the new Security Arrangements.” “Diet of Reform” 3 (see page 2) High-Tech Watch New functions abound on cell phones; fixed- line Internet; GPS for wheelchairs. 4 . Viewpoint Japan’s influence on Frank Lloyd Wright. 5 Cultural Heritage adds Okinawa Honoring the castles, shrines and temples of the ancient Ryukyu Kingdom. 6 “Coming-of-Age Day” 2001 6 Beyond Differences Flutist Yoko Owada’s unique sound. 7 Moving to the Majors Baseball stars move to majors. 8 Japan Now is online! Foreign Minister Yohei Kono meets with Secretary of State Colin Powell at the State Department in www.embjapan.org/jicc.html Washington Jan. 26. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan) CONDOLENCES FOR SEA TRAGEDY President George W. Bush telephoned Prime NEWS DIGEST Minister Mori on Feb. 13, to “apologize on behalf of our nation” for the sinking Feb. 9 of the Japanese fisheries-training vessel Ehime Maru in a collision with a U.S. Navy submarine USS Greeneville off the coast of Hawaii. The • PRIME MINISTER IN AFRICA. incident left nine people missing, including four Prime Minister Mori, accompanied by former 17-year-old second-year fisheries students. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Ms. Twenty six people were rescued from the Sadako Ogata, completed a successful visit training vessel which sank in minutes after P to Africa and Greece Jan. 7-15, holding being struck by the rapidly surfacing submarine. meetings with the leaders of South Africa, Kenya, “I would ask for your prayers for those still Nigeria and Greece. The first incumbent Prime missing,” the President told troops on a visit to Minister to visit Sub-Sahara Africa, Mori stressed Georgia. “Please join me in a moment of silence that “there will be no stability and prosperity in the for those missing, their families and our friends, world in the 21st century unless the problems of the people of Japan.” Defense Secretary Donald Africa are resolved.” The trip follows the Group of Rumsfeld apologized for the “terrible tragedy” Eight (G-8) and the U.N. Millennium Summits where and indicated the victim’s families would be Mori emphasized the need to include Africa in the compensated. Foreign Minister Kono and globalization wave, help it tackle poverty, refugee Secretary of State Powell have conferred and infectious disease threats, concentrate on regularly on the need to thoroughly investigate development and conflict prevention and protect its the cause of the accident. The Navy and Coast cultural heritage. Guard search has been the most extensive ever, • KONO AND GULF COOPERATION. covering an expanse larger than Maryland. The In the first visit by a Japanese foreign minister to the President said the U.S. would “do everything we can to find or recover bodies” should the search Gulf countries in 10 years, Mr. Kono visited Qatar, the fail to locate the missing. Japan has 47 public United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia Jan. and one private marine and fisheries high 8-14. He made courtesy calls on the Heads of State or schools with more than 12,000 students, which high-ranking dignitaries representing their leaders. routinely send training missions to the calm The Minister discussed the situation in Asia, the waters of the Hawaiian Islands. Middle East peace process, trends in the oil market and Japan-Gulf cooperation among other issues. He also announced the “Toward Multi-layered Relations with Gulf Countries (Kono Initiative)” promoting • AID FOR INDIA QUAKE. “dialogues among civilizations with the world of The Government of Japan on Feb. 5 to dispatched a Islam,” water-resources development and promotion of Disaster Relief Team (113 Self-Defense Forces wide-ranging policy dialogues. members) to India, which was hit Jan. 26 by a severe * WTO CHIEF IN TOKYO. earthquake causing unprecedented damage that left Mike Moore, Director General of the World Trade more than 16,000 people dead and more than 68,000 Organization (WTO) visited Japan Jan. 30-31 as a injured. The team transported emergency materials guest of the Foreign Ministry, holding talks with of tents and blankets to the devastated areas by SDF Foreign Minister Kono and other officials. Foreign planes and offered emergency help. And on Feb. 6., Minister Kono emphasized the need to launch a new it announced an additional emergency grant of $2.3 round of trade talks at the Fourth Ministerial million in humanitarian aid. Conference (this autumn) in Qatar, pointing out that • HUMAN SECURITY COMMISSION. the agenda for the negotiations of a new round must A U.N. “Commission on Human Security” was be broad-based and appealing to developing announced Jan. 24 in Tokyo by Secretary General countries. He said Japan would take a proactive role Kofi Annan and former UNHCR Ogata. To be toward the launching of a new round. Director launched this year, the Commission, strongly backed General Moore praised Japan’s efforts and its by Japan, will be designed to monitor crisis areas implementation of technical assistance and market and attempt to provide people with “freedom from JAPAN access improvements directed at the least developed want, and freedom from fear.” In Tokyo, Annan and NOW countries. Also, on Jan. 24, Deputy Minister of Prime Minister Mori also discussed the proposed Foreign Affairs Yoshiji Nogami chaired an informal expansion of the Security Council and the need to 2 meeting in Frankfurt to discuss the launching of the name more permanent members. Tokyo is the second next round of WTO talks. largest contributor to the world body after the U.S. REINVENTING MORI OPENS “DIET OF REFORM” GOVERNMENT The Prime Minister convened the 151st Session of the Diet on Jan. 31, 2001, naming it the “Diet of Reform for the Rebirth of Japan.” He pledged the implementation of the third wave for radical Fresh from the first major reforms in 50 reforms following the Meiji Restoration and post- years, the newly restructured government of war reforms, in order to forge “a 21st century that Japan began work on Jan. 6. The centerpiece will shine brightly” for all people. of the reform effort is the creation of a Among the policy goals the Prime F Cabinet Office, which will enable quicker, Minister discussed were: placing the economy more effective responses to complicated policy issues. firmly back on a self-sustaining recovery path, The 22 former ministries and agencies and the Prime stabilizing the financial system, promoting Minister’s Office have been integrated into 12 structural reform in the industrial sector; ministries and the new Cabinet Office to attain adopting the “e-Japan strategy” to spur IT smoother administration (for the list, see Japan Now development; and encouraging further creativity Nov/Dec. issue). The Cabinet Office has a supra- in science and technology. The Prime Minister ministerial role, providing a framework through which also stated his vision to improve the education the ministries can work together in implementing system; to reform the social security system; to policies. With the revamped system, the government take measures to respond to the low birth rate; to hopes to better meet people’s needs and steer a new realize a gender-equal society; and to support course for the nation. urban development, agriculture, forestry and Administrative reform was one of the Liberal fisheries. He also addressed the importance of further regulatory reforms, as well as the need to Democratic Party’s (LDP) campaign pledges in the promote decentralization and judicial system 1996 House elections. Then Prime Minister Ryutaro reform. For a full text, see www.kantei.go.jp. Hashimoto outlined a goal of cutting the number of ministries in half — and this became the focus of his administration following the election.