Koizumi Calls On Abe To End Nuke Power

Former Japanese premier Junichiro Koizumi on Friday urged his old deputy, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to abandon nuclear power in a letter and then publicly at the Diet, adding  pressure on the government to re-consider its position on unpopular atomic energy.

Koizumi was one of Japan's most popular prime ministers before he stepped down in 2006 and his comments carry influence among the general public and within the ruling bloc, led by his former Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).  LAst week Koizumi left the LDP to join the Restoration Party of Japan.

Nuclear power has been contentious since a power plant in the Fukushima region north of Tokyo was hit by a big earthquake and tsunami in 2011, triggering explosions, meltdowns and the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

"If the LDP decided on abandoning nuclear power, all the parties would be for the policy as the opposition is already supporting it," Koizumi told a news conference.

"What a magnificent and fantastic project it would be. He can get to use his power to utilize nature as resources. There are no other prime ministers who are as lucky as he is."

Koizumi supported nuclear power when he was prime minister and his calls in recent months for the country to give it up are a headache for the government.

Abe aims to reduce nuclear power as much as possible but believes it would be irresponsible to give it up straight away because that would threaten a stable power supply.

Koizumi said if money used to build nuclear plants was spent on renewable energy, it would spur a range of technological development.

More than two and a half years after the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, the operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co, is struggling to stop radiation leaks.

Koizumi said Abe could determine Japan's position on the issue.

"Even within the LDP, there are quite a few lawmakers who at heart are leaning towards the zero-nuclear policy. A prime minister's power is enormous. If he proposed the zero-nuclear policy, no objections would emerge."

Asked about Koizumi's call, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga indicated the government intended stick to its policy of gradually reducing nuclear power's ratio in the country's energy mix.

"The government believes it is extremely important to administer its energy policy in a responsible manner," Suga said.

The Asahi Newspaper showed yesterday that 60 percent of those polled supported Koizumi's zero-nuclear proposal.

Reuters

Abe Played Down TPP Disagreeement

The Japanese government wanted to avoid using the expression “a basic agreement” in the joint statement over Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations with the United States because it was concerned about the impact the words would have on Sunday's House of Representatives by-election in Kagoshima Prefecture Constituency No. 2, a Japanese government source said.

Japanese media reported they “put off a broad agreement” or “failed to reach an agreement” on their front pages.  While Abe and his cabinet members insisted "basic agreement" had been reached.  Even the US side, including President Obama as he left Japan, noted an agreement was far from being reached.

A Liberal Democratic Party official who read the evening papers groaned aloud and said, “Hey, which is right?”

Akira Amari, state minister in charge of TPP issues, and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman ended the ministerial-level bilateral TPP negotiations Thursday evening, and had another round of talks Friday morning for about an hour before both sides stopped as Obama was leaving.

When Amari was asked Friday morning by reporters whether the two sides had reached a basic agreement, he said, “That’s not the case.”

On the surface, it is natural to infer that Tokyo and Washington did have a meeting the next day because they had failed to close the gap between them during the bilateral working-level talks Thursday.  Yet the hour meeting was less than hopeful.

According to a source close to the negotiators, Amari and Froman were unable to reach an agreement on all major points by Thursday evening, meaning there was no need to have other talks Friday morning.

Abe on Saturday still insisted Froman and Amari reached a basic agreement and cautioned LDP members from saying otherwise so as not to jeopardize the election in Kagoshima.

The Yomiuri News

Kato Warns Kerry Comfort Women Not A Diplomatic Issue

Japan warned US Secretary of State, John Kerry, the issue of Japan's wartime system of sex slavery was not a “diplomatic” subject, after U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday called it a “terrible” violation of human rights.

Katsunobu Kato, deputy chief cabinet secretary, said Japan was aware of the suffering of the victims and was trying to avoid politicizing the emotional issue.

“Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he is deeply pained to think of the people who experienced immeasurable pain and suffering,” Kato said in a television program.

“This issue should not be made into a political or diplomatic subject,” he said.

In a press conference in South Korea Friday, Obama called for an accounting of the wrongs perpetrated by Japanese troops before and during World War II when thousands of women were forced into prostitution, many from the Korean peninsula.

“This was a terrible, egregious violation of human rights. Those women were violated in ways that, even in the midst of war were shocking,” Obama said.

But the U.S. president also pressed Tokyo and Seoul to look to the future.

“It is in the interests of both Japan and the Korean people to look forwards as well as backwards and to find ways in which the heartache and the pain of the past can be resolved,” Obama said.

Washington finds it frustrating that its two major allies in the region are unable to resolve their issues and work together on other pressing issues, such as an increasingly strident China and Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.

Despite formal apologies issued by the Japanese government, South Korea accuses Tokyo of failing sufficiently to atone for the “comfort women”, who were pressed to service its troops during its brutal war of expansion.

Japan previously used a quasi-public fund to give compensation accompanied by a letter of apology from the prime minister.

But Japan has long maintained that the two nations have resolved reparation issues from the World War II by signing treaties.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK said Obama was trying to urge both Tokyo and Seoul to stabilize their working relationship.

Obama was calling on Japan to take proactive stance on the comfort women issue, while also pressing Seoul to overcome emotional reaction, the liberal Tokyo Shimbun said in an analysis.

The Asahi media company said its paper and Saturday TV talk shows that South Korea might heighten pressure on Tokyo to address the comfort women issue after the Obama remark.

But the Yomiuri Newspaper also noted a piece of American advice was also directed at South Korea.

“Obama is seen calling on South Korea to become more flexible because the future-oriented cooperation between Japan and South Korea has not been able to move forward as South Korea strongly remains hung up on the past history,” the Yomiuri wrote.

© 2014 AFP

Obama: Japan's Wartime Activities A Human Rights Violation

The Japanese wartime system of sex slavery was a “terrible” violation of human rights and its victims need to be heard, U.S. President Barack Obama said Friday in Seoul.

Stepping into one of the most contentious issues in Northeast Asia, Obama said there needed to be an accounting of the wrongs perpetrated by Japanese Imperial troops before and during World War II when thousands of women were forced into prostitution.

“This was a terrible, egregious violation of human rights. Those women were violated in ways that even in the midst of war were shocking,” he said.

“And they deserve to be heard, they deserve to be respected. And there should be an accurate and clear account of what happened.

“I think (Japanese) Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe recognizes this and certainly the Japanese people recognize that the past is something that has to be recognized honestly and fairly.”

Despite formal apologies issued by the Japanese government, South Korea and other nations accuse Tokyo of failing sufficiently to atone for the “comfort women” pressed to service its troops during its brutal war of expansion.

While many Japanese accept the country’s guilt, some senior politicians on the right—including Abe—have suggested that the issue is overblown, putting huge pressure on ties between Tokyo and Seoul.

Obama, who arrived in South Korea earlier Friday after a three-day state visit to Japan, said the two nations must find a way to move on.

“It is in the interests of both Japan and the Korean people to look forwards as well as backwards and to find ways in which the heartache and the pain of the past can be resolved.”

A rising strain of nationalism in both countries over recent months has inflamed the row, with South Korean pressure groups in the United States erecting statues to former comfort women.

Washington finds it frustrating that its two major allies in the region are unable to resolve their issues and work together on other pressing issues, such as an increasingly strident China and Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.

Satellite photos taken just two days ago showed additional activity at North Korea’s Punggye-ri test site that is “probably related to preparations for a detonation”, the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said.

The report echoed recent warnings from South Korea that the North might be planning a nuclear test to coincide with Obama’s two-day visit.

“As has been said before, the interests today of the Korean and Japanese people so clearly converge,” the U.S. president said.

“You are both democracies; you both have thriving free markets; you both are cornerstones of a booming economic region. You both are strong allies and friends of the United States.

“My hope would be that we can honestly resolve some of these past tensions, but also keep an eye on the future.”

© 2014 AFP

Japan Begins Whaling Operation

The day after US President Obama left Japan, a Japanese whaling fleet left port Saturday under tight security in the first hunt since the U.N.‘s top court last month ordered Tokyo to stop killing whales in the Antarctic.

Four ships departed from the fishing town of Ayukawa in the northeast, marking this season’s start to a coastal whaling program not covered by the International Court of Justice’s landmark ruling—which found Japan’s Southern Ocean expedition was a commercial activity masquerading as research.

Some observers had predicted the Japanese government would use the cover of last month’s court ruling to abandon what many have long considered the facade of a scientific hunt.

But Tokyo’s decision to continue whaling was likely to set off a new battle with critics who had hoped the ruling would bring an end to a slaughter that the Japanese government has embraced as part of the island nation’s cultural heritage.

Some Japanese politicians have derided criticism from abroad as little more than cultural imperialism by the West, while locals in Ayukawa expressed fears the court’s decision could ultimately ruin their livelihoods.

Around 10:30 a.m., whistles sounded as the flotilla accompanied by a trio of coastguard patrol boats set off following a ceremony attended by about 100 local dignitaries and crew.

There were, however, no protestors among the crowd—a far cry from the Antarctic hunt which saw sometimes violent clashes between Japanese whaling crews and activists trying to end the hunt.

The town on Japan’s northeast coast was ravaged by Japan’s 2011 tsunami and still bears the scars of the disaster. Local people say their small community’s existence rests heavily on the hunt.

“No matter what the court ruling was, all we can do is let everyone see that we’re still hanging in there,” said Koji Kato, a 22-year-old crew member.

“People from outside are saying a lot of things, but we want them to understand our perspective as much as possible. For me, whaling is more attractive than any other job.”

Yuki Inomata, works in a local whale meat processing factory, said he was “glad” that the annual hunt got under way despite questions about the future of the industry in Japan.

“I don’t know what will happen next but I hope we can continue whaling,” said Inomata.

Tokyo called off the 2014-15 season for its Antarctic hunt, and said it would redesign the controversial whaling mission in a bid to make it more scientific.

But vessels would still go to the icy waters to carry out “non-lethal research”, raising the possibility that harpoon ships would return the following year.

That would put Japan on a collision course with anti-whaling nations like Australia, which brought the case to the international court, arguing that Tokyo’s research was aimed at skirting a ban on commercial whaling.

Japan has hunted whales under a loophole in a 1986 global moratorium that allowed it to conduct lethal research on the mammals, but has openly admitted that their meat made its way onto menus.

Tokyo has always maintained that it intended to prove the whale population was large enough to sustain commercial hunting. The coastal whaling program in places like Ayukawa is considered part of “research” whaling, but was not targeted at the court battle in The Hague.

Like the United States, Japan extensively hunted whales in the 19th century, when they were a source of fuel and food.

But the country’s taste for whale meat has considerably diminished in recent decades as it has become richer and has been able to farm more of its protein.

On Tuesday, a new poll showed 60% of Japanese people support the country’s whaling program, but only 14% eat whale meat. Although not difficult to find in Japan, whale meat is not a regular part of most Japanese people’s diet.

However, powerful lobbying forces have ensured Tokyo continues to subsidise the hunt with taxpayers’ money.

© 2014 AFP

Unification Church Wins Case In Saga

By Kiminori Ito

A former associate professor of science has been ordered to pay a judgement of ￥88,000.  The Saga District Court ruled that comments made by the associate professor amounted to harassment.  From December 2011 to February 2012 the associate professor made comments that the Unification Church mates dogs with cats.  A reference to the Unification Church's practice of arranging marriages of Asians with other races.

With Judge Hatae Masashi presiding, the court ruled that the comments amounted to harassment as they were made to cause insult and ridicule.  The associate professor had refused to apologize for the comments after a girl belonging to the Moonies brought her parents and church officials to Saga National University to discuss the comments with the administration of the university and the associate professor.

In the ruling Judge Masashi noted, "The comments were intended to cause insult and to ridicule the beliefs of students.  It was wrong and had no issue with material being taught in the laboratory."  The plaintiffs had sought 4.4 million yen, but Judge Masashi awarded 88,000 yen ruling, "It is a fair amount of award seeing as there is no proof that real emotional damage had happened.  The young lady still attended classes and had an active social life."

The associate professor left the university last year and has been teaching at the University of Fukuoka.  The University of Fukuoka noted it was unfortunate such comments had been made but since being at the university the associate professor has been an exemplary addition to the science staff.

UPDATE On Peruvian Girl

By Rev. Daniel Rea
Update May 1, 2014

The presence of Peruvian Consul General Julio Cardenas has motivated police in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka to confiscate the phones of the 5 Japanese girls accused of raping their Peruvian class mate.  The girl and her mother talked over an hour with Consul Cardenas.  After that , she had more details that will help in the police investigation. 

Consul Cardenas has brought the mother and daughter to Tokyo for a consultation with a Japanese lawyer, Kotaro Tanaka .

The Consul has commented that the girl and her mother have much fear and asked to be removed from Shizuoka.   This afternoon, the mother decided on action to safeguard the physical and psychological health of her family and they left Shizuoka with the Consul.

"They are now leaving Fujinomiya " said an employee at the Peruvian Consulate who asked not to be identified.  The employee added, "They only want to communicate with the Consul, an attorney, and the police . They want justice."

We will keep updating as information comes.

13 Year Old Peruvian Girl Reports Being Raped in Shizuoka School

By Rev. Daniel Rea

Update May 1

A 13 year old Peruvian girl has reported to police and her mother that she has been repeatedly raped by five Japanese female class mates.

The girl, who was a member of a music club at the school in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, says as one girl penetrated her with a "device" other girls would hold her down as two others would film and take photographs of the rape on their phones.

The girl's mother, who is a single mother, says, "My daughter has been very troubled for some time and I wanted to know why. Last Friday she let me know the reason. I was horrified." After the mother received little help from police and the school or school board, she decided to involve Peruvian Consul General, Julio Cardenas.

Consul General Cardenas has been seen at the Shizuoka Central Police building and also at the school in Fujinomiya. When I contacted the Consul I was told by an employee who wished to remain anonymous, “Today we had a telephone discussion with the mother and we found her to be in a very emotional state. We offered all our support and full cooperation as diplomats in Japan for Peru. It is totally heart breaking that could happen to any child. We must assure our citizens we will not allow any abuse or bullying of our citizens."

School officials refused to comment, as did police in Shizuoka.

UPDATE April 25, 2014 at 5:41 PM

Tokyo Needs To Learn Compromise

By William Bryant

The rocky negotiations between Japan and the United States over the Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral free trade initiative have reached a crucial stage, with Tokyo showing no willingness to compromise on agricultural issues—one of the biggest issues in their talks. It is important for Aso and his cabinet to make further efforts to find common ground with Washington.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Barack Obama, who held talks Thursday in Tokyo, provided only photo op toward forging an ambitious accord to promote a high level of free trade.  Nothing of any substance came from the talk because of Abe's unwillingness to put agriculture and automobiles on the table.  Regardless of what spin Obama puts on the issue, the TPP is as good as dead from Tokyo's perspective and that really is fine with Abe and his LDP minstrels.

Two days of talks on the bilateral pact between Akira Amari, state minister in charge of TPP affairs, and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman ended last night in Tokyo. The meeting was important in that it was intended to pave the way for an agreement ahead of the rest of Obama's Asian visit, but the sides failed to conclude a broad agreement again.  This may be bad for Obama back home, but it is worse for Abe.  Sources say the US is now going to approach Beijing.  That is really bad news for Abe, and it could very well be the case that Japan will be selling its goods in Japan only is China is invited into the TPP and agrees.

“There was certain progress, but the two sides remained substantially far apart,” Amari said after the talks. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative also said in a statement, “We are now faced with a reasonable number of outstanding issues. These issues are important to both sides and considerable differences remain.  We have options outside of Japan and we may pursue those now.  Tokyo has had enough time to come on board.”

Obama was not too pleased that the Office of US Trade Representative made the statement that shows the actual Asian Pivot of Obama.  If Abe said no now, then those "other options outside Japan" are China, China, and China.

Japan and the United States will probably hold no more working-level talks because the time frame of the rest of the TPP members have agreed to the working nature of the agreement since 2009, before the US and Australia invited Japan.  When Japan was invited it brought protest from Malaysia and Vietname because of the situation now.

The round of ministerial talks in Tokyo have failed to reach an accord mainly because of stubbornness which, the Liberal Democratic Party insists, should keep agriculture and automobiles exempted from tariff removal.

In addition to placing importance on concluding a TPP agreement, Obama has been pushing a policy of expanding U.S. exports. Abe, for his part, was enthusiastic about reaching a TPP accord by making TPP a pillar of Japan’s growth strategy.  Only if agriculture and automobiles were exempted from the agreement.

The time is ripe for theU.S. leaders to bridge their gaps from a broad perspective to stimulate the vigor of the Asia-Pacific region under the leadership of the US and China now.  Forget Tokyo and pivot to the real leader in Asia.  Let the LDP face their consequences.  Too much time has been wasted with Japan, and as the other members have said, get back on track by turning to Beijing.

A prolonged confrontation between the two nations could set TPP negotiations adrift. Ten other participants in TPP negotiations, including Australia, are closely watching developments.  The time has come to save the TPP by cutting Japan out.

No Progress But Obama Says TPP Sill Alive

As negotiators struggle, President Barack Obama is rejecting suggestions that an Asia-Pacific trade deal is in danger and says the U.S. and Japan must take bold steps to overcome differences that are threatening completion of the cornerstone of his strategic rebalance to the region.

Illustrating those difficulties, the top Japanese negotiator said Thursday that talks had come to a stop only to have a U.S. official later say that discussions would continue.

Standing alongside Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Obama also affirmed that the U.S. will defend its Asian ally in a potential confrontation with China over a set of disputed islands. At the same time, he called on both parties to peacefully resolve the long-running dispute that has heightened tensions between the two countries.

Obama called for the U.S. and Japan to resolve disagreements promptly over access to agriculture and automobile markets, issues that are hindering completion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The deal, involving 12 nations overall, is a key component of Obama’s efforts to assert U.S. influence in Asia in the face of China’s ascendancy in the region.

“Now is the time for bold steps that are needed to reach a comprehensive agreement, and I continue to believe we can get this done,” Obama said at a joint news conference with Abe at the Akasaka Palace. “All of us have to move out of our comfort zones and not just expect that we’re going to get access to somebody else’s market without providing access to our own. And it means that we have to sometimes push our constituencies beyond their current comfort levels because ultimately it’s going to deliver a greater good for all people.”

That was also a nod to the strong opposition Obama faces at home to the TPP, including from organized labor groups who fear such a deal with leave U.S. workers vulnerable to competition from counterparts in other countries who earn substantially less. Obama’s fellow Democrats in Congress also oppose granting him authority that would make it harder for lawmakers to change the trade pact. Business groups strongly back the deal, saying it would create jobs and open new markets to U.S. goods.

Akira Amari, the top Japanese negotiator for the TPP talks, said Thursday evening that the talks with chief U.S. trade negotiator Michael Froman “have stopped for now” and were not expected to resume “straight away.”

“The old issues still remain,” said a grim-looking Amari.

AP

Obama Speaks to Families of Abductees

U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday met with the three relatives of two Japanese citizens who were abducted by North Korea.

At the news conference, Obama said the United States stood with Japan in seeking to resolve such North Korean kidnappings and in a statement issued after the session with relatives, the White House said Obama was “moved by their tragic experiences.”

Later, the relatives said Obama, as father of two daughters, showed empathy over the kidnapping of their loved ones. He said he would do his utmost to resolve the problem, possibly by adopting a U.N. Security Council resolution to pressure the North.

As father of two teenage daughters, Obama seemed particularly empathetic to Sakie Yokota, 78, whose daughter Megumi was kidnapped by North Korean agents 37 years ago when she was only 13. Yokota said Obama carefully looked at the pictures she brought and seemed to understand the pain of waiting such a long time.

“President Obama said it’s not just another political or human rights issue. He said he cannot tolerate this problem as a human being and a father,” Yokota told reporters after the meeting. “He reassured us that he would give us a firm support to resolve the problem.”

AP