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Saturday June 1st 2013
India and Japan join hands to break China’s ‘string of pearls’
May 31, 2013, 10:24 pm
by S. VENKAT NARAYAN Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, May 30: Undeterred by China’s undisguised grumbling about the blooming New Delhi-Tokyo romance, India and Japan on Wednesday lifted their strategic convergence to a new level by deciding to work together for ensuring stability in the Asia-Pacific region in the face of Beijing’s growing muscle-flexing by picking fights with several of its neighbours in South China Sea and by erecting a "string of pearls" around India.
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh concluded his three-day visit to Japan and arrived in Bangkok today for a two-day visit to Thailand.
During Dr. Singh’s visit, India and Japan signed several agreements to further consolidate their blooming bilateral relationship in a host of fields. Japan has pledged financial assistance worth several billion dollars for big-ticket projects like the Chennai-Bangalore industrial corridor and third line of Mumbai Metro and displayed willingness for early conclusion of a civil nuclear cooperation agreement in two years’ time.
Dr. Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe spoke glowingly of a partnership of the two democracies against use of force to change the order in Asia. That is diplomatic shorthand for Chinese attempt to arm-twist Japan and other nations into making territorial concessions.
The two sides agreed to institutionalize joint exercises by their navies and to increase their frequency even as Japan offered its highly advanced sea plane Shinmaywa or US-2 in what is the first instance of Tokyo’s willingness to offer a technology that has both military and civilian applications. A very sophisticated craft, the amphibian plane has a very long range and can land and take off in choppy waters.
India’s Department of Atomic Energy and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry signed a memorandum for cooperation on the development of rare earths industry in India. Considering Japanese dependence on China for critical raw materials, this is a significant element of the expanding cooperation.
The new momentum in ties was evident from the statements of both the prime ministers which stood out against the backdrop of the advice of People’s Daily, a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, that Japan should deal with China in a calm way and not be swayed by "internal and international provocateurs".
In a toughly-worded opinion piece while Dr Singh was still in Tokyo, the daily lashed out at Japanese politicians, calling them "petty burglars" on China-related issues. Surprisingly, the Chinese daily said India and China were able to resolve their standoff over the incursion of People’s Liberation Army in Ladakh swiftly, saying, "In the development of Sino-Indian ties, there are several divergences and contradictions. Some countries see these differences as an opportunity to provoke dissension."
If the comment was intended to deter India and Japan, that did not happen.
Said Dr. Singh in his speech at a banquet Abe hosted in his honour: "It is not only our spiritual and cultural affinities that bring us together, but also our shared commitment to democracy and international peace. The success of our partnership is vital for the prosperity of our people and indispensable for a future of peace and stability in Asia and Pacific region."
He elaborated on that in his statement to the media, "India and Japan are natural and indispensable partners for advancing prosperity in our two countries and for a peaceful, stable, cooperative and prosperous future for the Asia- Pacific and Indian Ocean regions."
Saying that the maritime democracies are obligated to safeguard oceans, Abe said: "India from the west, Japan from the east, the confluence of the two most deep-rooted democracies is already one important part of international common good for the 21st century. I am of a belief that it is important that Japan and India should ensure that Asia remains in peace and prosperity."
Tonohika Tanaguchi, counsellor in the cabinet secretariat and member of Abe’s strategic communication team, said the relationship could grow into an ever-lasting alliance. The deepening of India-Japan partnership is not aimed at any other country, he pointed out. He also spoke about China seeking to grab Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea.
Tanaguchi emphasized that the emperor and empress of Japan had agreed to visit India by the year-end despite their ripe age, and mentioned that their decision to host Dr Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur was an extraordinary gesture, considering that Dr. Singh is not the head of state.
The Indian side is not particularly worried by Japan refraining from agreeing to a civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement. Foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai noted that the joint statement emphasized India’s excellent non-proliferation record: significant in view of Japan’s sensitivities, the only country against which nuclear weapons have been used.
Indian sources said the delay was because of "domestic consultations" and some movement could be expected after elections to the Japanese Upper House get over in the third week of July.
India also committed support to Japan’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
The personal chemistry between the two prime ministers was all too evident during their meetings in Tokyo. It was in 2006 that they had launched the India-Japan strategic and global partnership here. Abe visited India twice more after that: as prime minister in 2007 and as a former prime minister in 2011. He will be visiting India again pretty soon.
This was Dr Singh’s fifth visit to Japan as prime minister. His first visit there was way back in 1971.
At the banquet he hosted for his Indian counterpart, Abe declared that he admires Dr. Singh and wants to emulate him.
In his speech at the banquet, he told Dr Singh: "You think—-do you not?—-that history, not newspaper headlines, is the only judge for the steps you have taken. I think I must do as you have done in your hallmark calmness. I think I have learnt from you more than I am aware myself."
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