When Japan's Diplomacy Collides with Japan Inc !

How to define the key political risk limit?

There was a time when Japan diplomacy was only protecting business.

This is over, and Japanese business leaders are worried about China Japan and Russia Japan territorial disputes added to the USA Japan spat on Okinawa. But it is the Russian Prime Minister Medvedev's visit to the Northern Islands which led the Japanese business world into a succession of painful torments. "La goutte qui a fait déborder le vase," as we say in French language.

Enough is enough, media counter attack, quote: "The ongoing cooperation in development of energy sources between Japan and Russia has been made possible as it benefits both sides. I don't want (the current political situation) to affect it." Masamitsu Sakurai is the Chairman of the powerful Japan Association of Corporate Executives Keizai Doyukai after Medvedev visited Kunashiri island, one of four Russian-held northern islands off Hokkaido, claimed by Japan.

"The deterioration in relations with Russia and China can be traced back to strained relations with Washington over the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture... Behind Japan's troubled diplomacy is the DPJ led government's casual manner in dealing with the Japan-U.S. alliance, the linchpin of Japan's diplomacy," the Yomiuri Shimbun commented in a toxic editorial titled: Govt's immature diplomacy again at fault / DPJ's inconsistent approach to Japan-U.S. alliance leads to impasse with Beijing and Moscow. Here http://bit.ly/d1yH1A

And for others in the media, the Japan press weekly, it's not over and pressure is to increase locally but also between USA and Japan on the Futenma relocation issue: "The Democratic Party of Japan is showing party disunity over Okinawa Prefectural governor’s election to be announced on November 11 and polled on 28."

Inside the DPJ, it is difficult to seek coordination between the central DPJ, which refuses to support or recommend a candidate who opposes the government policy of building a new base at Henoko in Nago City, and the DPJ Okinawa chapter opposing the relocation of the Futenma base within the prefecture.

Tougher is the Asahi Shimbun of today who summarizes current Kan' administration in a formula: "Lack of vision defines Kan's diplomacy!" With the APEC summit approaching: "Even if a Kan-Medvedev meeting is held, Japan would have few options. A high-ranking Foreign Ministry official said, "What kind of face should Japan put on in welcoming him? The prime minister will not be able to smile and seek out a handshake."

But there is worst, the way the bureaucracy plays the DPJ of Mr Kan nowadays. Who in particular? The Finance ministry and this is not to entertain the very strict Japanese business community.

To be continued.

Sources: Yomiuri, Asahi, Kyodo, Japan press weekly, Reporter's Notes

Never confide your secret to a Japanese spy! It might end shared on the web!

There was a time when we preferred cables to nowadays WiFis & Mobiles

Welcome to the grey world but don't be a snitch!

The other day while I was attending, as a Board Director, a session of the general assembly of my press club in Tokyo, I found out that I had been targeted a couple of times during the assembly meeting by a hacking group who tried to hook some info from my computer and poison my system. Of course I entered into research and what I found out after alarming all the security firms, experts, hackers and governments pro' "et al" was compelling and informative as one of my foreign correspondent colleague uses to say. Of course, I won't elaborate here what, who and where from. (Privacy thing you know...)

But luckily I was warned and my computer although opened to any "dangerous liaison" such as a WiFi communication potential harm, indeed survived. Well, kind of.

This is just to introduce the latest red face thing that happened to some officials of the Tokyo police forces just while everyone in the paranoid world of Tokyo government security agencies is preparing the Yokohama held APEC VIPs' Summit and embarked onto a blitzkrieg alike monitoring of all what could get wrong. Of course they are helped in this endeavor by their faithful allies and friends, friends of whom I naturally consider myself as being one of the closest devoted loyal and good hearted watcher.

This is why I like the Asahi and Mainichi pieces of today November 2nd followings. Quote: "a potential disaster that could shatter international trust in Japanese police, sensitive documents related to international terrorism, including personal information about informants and suspects, have leaked onto the Internet...

... The leaked documents, dating from 2004 through 2010, include those connected to the Third Foreign Affairs Division of the Metropolitan Police Department's Public Security Bureau, which deals with international terrorism, as well as the National Police Agency and the Aichi prefectural police..." (Asahi)

"Most of the documents were in PDF format. They are believed to have been created by the MPD's third foreign affairs division, which handles international terrorism investigations, as well as by the National Police Agency (NPA) and Aichi Prefectural Police, among other authors. Most of them were dated up until about January last year." (Mainichi)

By the way, you noticed the similarities in reporting, thanks to the Japanese kisha club system daily briefing.

"This is not simply a leakage of information, but a crisis for Japanese intelligence activities," a senior police official said. Sources at Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department said officials suspect the highly confidential information included in more than 100 documents leaked through file-sharing software. They are studying the contents of the leaked documents while questioning officers involved to determine how the information got out.

The leaked data on foreigners who have cooperated with international anti-terrorism investigations both in Japan and abroad includes their names, investigators' plans to contact them and records of the information they provided. The leak could put their lives at risk, according to a former high-ranking police official who spent many years working in security matters."

"Police have found 114 documents online. Some of them contained detailed personal information on people believed to be cooperating with terrorism investigations in Japan and overseas, including their names, addresses and family information. Some of the documents contained information on foreigners in Japan who are apparently under investigation, together with information believed to have been supplied by the FBI."

"This is not the first time police information has spilled onto the Internet. In 2006 and 2007, investigative information leaked from the personal computers of officers at the Ehime and Yamanashi prefectural police departments as well as the Metropolitan Police Department's Kitazawa Police Station.

The officers all used the Winny file-sharing software. But the latest incident is by far the most serious in terms of safety of individuals and international trust in Japanese investigative authorities. Information on possible terrorist activities is accumulated over a long period through the building of relationships with individuals who can provide information about suspected terrorist organizations. Important individuals connected to such organizations also have to be placed under surveillance." Unquote.

Asahi, the full story here http://bit.ly/a5rWi8 and "Leaked terror investigation documents contained info on people helping police probes" The Mainichi writes http://bit.ly/dwyN08

I advise some computer users who have major responsibilities and not a very good command of their PC settings, files sharing und-so-weiter to drop by for a coffee with a few friends of mine. Not that we could be surprised to see our IPs' among some leaked data but rather to have a pleasant chat.

Last, I thank my honorable sources, and not the lowest in rank, at the TMG who confirmed for years now the lack of preparation of Tokyo in case of major catastrophe. The info-war has never been as strong and striking as today!

Sources: Asahi, Mainichi, Kyodo, Afp, Alternet, Freakingnews, Reporter's Notes and my little right finger

Success at Nagoya COP-10 but "the nations must do more for biodiversity and the developing world"

Japan and participants orchestrated the conference with immense talent, not without fears

"And finally, to your clouded, wounded heart, even a true bell cricket will seem like a grasshopper. Should that day come, when it seems to you that the world is only full of grasshoppers, I will think it a pity that you have no way to remember tonight's play of light".

"The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket" Yasunari Kawabata, 1968 Nobel Prize for Literature

After two weeks of intense negotiations, representatives of about one hundred and ninety countries, with the notable exception of the United States which never ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), adopted a strategic plan for 2020 laying down twenty objectives to protect nature and slow the alarming rate of species loss at the Nagoya, Japan Cop 10 meeting (10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity).

Following the debates which effects will have a major impact on businesses around the world, similar to the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, the groups discussions, the elaboration in plenary session and, on the last day, the very hard talks delaying the final plenary session approving the texts, was phenomenal and I have to say it all goes to the success of Japanese organizers and groups diligent presidents and chairs who proved that they have leadership when they are in close encounter with world preoccupations. There is a a model care here.

"Breakthrough, Success, Leadership, Agreement, Compromise Harmony with Nature," those are some of the media expressions used to praise the Nagoya conference. These same words could from now on be used to resolve other urgent crucial issues of our planet: Hunger, disease, conflicts.

"Applause and cheers filled the Plenary Session Hall early Saturday morning as attendees adopted the ABS protocol and the two key agreements that proved the thorniest of the negotiations." Local paper Japan Times commented. And "it's a shame for the United States government, not part in the negotiation, unable to share the success" [of this agreement] that will deliver new income for the developing world, as one exhilarated participant told me on the conference's last day!

Ten months after the huge disappointment of the Copenhagen summit, violence included, on global warming, the success of the conference should Nagoya, beyond the sometimes very technical provisions it contains, restore color to the UN negotiating process on the environment.

The adoption of these decisions has been welcomed by a long round of applause of all delegates. "The protocol of Nagoya is a historic achievement," said Jim Leape, Director General of WWF International. This protocol ABS is "a dream that all countries have in mind for a long time," said Japanese Environment Minister, Ryu Matsumoto, visibly moved, who chaired the discussion. "With great wisdom, tremendous effort and tears, we did it!" The French Secretary of State for Ecology, Chantal Jouanno, said too that it was "a historic agreement, a great moment."

But not binding...

The plan, which does not legally binding, can have a real impact for the protection of species throughout the world? "Yes," says Russell Mittermeier, president of the U.S. NGO Conservation International. "Protected areas, whatever their nature, are the best tool we have to date to protect the diversity of life," he said. "Even if it is not a legally binding decision, the message sent to all countries is: 'We must do more."

Delegates signed a deal on ecosystem preservation targets for the 2011-20 period, agreeing to set aside 17% of land and 10% of the sea for preserving biodiversity. Strengthening protection of endangered species was also included in the ecosystem preservation targets.

But a goal of boosting the scale of public and private sector funds for the preservation of biodiversity by 10 fold did not survive in its entirety, with the figure dropped from the final agreement.

Several commitments still leave the door open to many interpretations. Thus, a goal advocated the "elimination" or at least the "phasing" of "perverse subsidies" for biodiversity. Questions remain about its real influence on countless fisheries subsidies, particularly in Europe, while the overfishing of many species is scientifically documented. "70 to 80% of fish species that we eat" are fished beyond their reproductive capacity, recalled the actor Harrison Ford...

Keiichi Koga, an expert on environmental issues at the Japan Research Institute, a think tank, said to Kyodo news agency that while Matsumoto occasionally played an active role at the talks as president, Japan’s strong stance on the issue was not highly visible. "While I want to give Japan credit for getting a deal, I doubt that (Japanese) politicians understand the importance of COP10."

The next "Conference of the Parties" of the CBD will take place in two years, New Delhi, India.

Sources: Reporter's Notes, News agencies, Cop 10 CCTV live

broadcast & conferences, Secretariat.

About a "peaceful rise of China" that fits Japan and India

Henri Matisse, Le jeu de Boules (Game of Bowls) 1908

"We would of course both Japan and India wish to see the peaceful rise of China."

India Foreign Secretary Mrs. Nirupama Rao to the international press during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visit in Tokyo.

About a "peaceful rise of China", IBNS writes that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Naoto Kan have emphasized on engaging China in more productive dialogue. How the three biggest Asian economies - China, India and Japan - need to cooperate for a common further rise in the global scene?

Each country, Japan and India, has a special relation with China, and the question is to define how important these relations are from a strategic, security and economic point of view, according to Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao: "How both Japan and India desire a peaceful and productive relationship with China, and how it is essential to engage China in closer and more open dialogue?"

... "The fact is that there are systems in place and we mentioned from our side (India) that we have a very well-functioning system to discuss these issues, these differences with China have to be engaged in a peaceful way"

The growth of the Chinese economy, China's emergence as a global power, its military modernization, its ability to project its influence in the region when it comes to respective neighborhoods, these are all issues that will require a close analysis, a study, and understanding because of dealing with the rise of China.

Sources. Agencies, Ibns, Reporters' Notes.

Irak: Wikileaks met la pression sur Washington

Après la publication de 400 000 documents par Wikileaks sur les cas de torture par l’armée américaine en Irak entre 2004 et 2009, plusieurs organisations dénoncent "une grave violation du droit international" et demandent une enquête à Washington.

La pression s’accentuait dimanche sur les Etats-Unis après les révélations sur les cas de mauvais traitements couverts ou commis par l’armée américaine lors de la guerre en Irak, contenues dans les quelque 400.000 documents publiés par le site WikiLeaks.

"Nous pouvons déplorer la manière dont ces fuites ont eu lieu mais je pense que la nature des allégations faites est extraordinairement sérieuse", a déclaré le vice-Premier ministre britannique Nick Clegg, dimanche dans une interview à la télévision BBC One.

http://bit.ly/bWPtE0

Publiés vendredi sur le site de WikiLeaks, les quelque 400.000 rapports d’incidents, écrits de janvier 2004 à fin 2009 par des soldats américains, relatent de nombreux cas de torture par les forces irakiennes, ainsi que "plus de 300 cas de torture commis par les forces de la coalition", selon le fondateur du site, Julian Assange. Ce dernier a assuré, samedi lors d’une conférence de presse à Londres, avoir voulu rétablir "la vérité" sur la guerre en Irak, promettant de plus la diffusion prochaine de nouveaux fichiers, cette fois sur l’Afghanistan.

Vendredi, la secrétaire d’Etat américaine Hillary Clinton avait condamné "la diffusion de toute information (...) faisant peser un risque sur la vie des soldats et des civils des Etats-Unis et de leurs alliés". Les ministères britannique et australien de la Défense ont également dénoncé un danger pour les troupes sur le terrain.

Le rapporteur spécial de l’ONU sur la torture, Manfred Nowak, a néanmoins appelé le président américain Barack Obama à lancer une enquête. "Je me serais attendu à ce que (ce genre d’enquête) soit lancée depuis déjà longtemps, car le président Obama est arrivé au pouvoir en promettant le changement... Le président Obama a l’obligation de traiter les cas passés".

Le Site Wikileaks http://wikileaks.org/

Amnesty International a elle aussi appelé Washington à lancer une enquête, évoquant "une grave violation du droit international" quand les forces américaines ont remis "des milliers de détenus aux forces irakiennes tout en sachant qu’elles continuaient à torturer". L’organisation de défense des droits de l’homme Human Rights Watch a demandé que "l’Irak poursuive les responsables de tortures et d’autres crimes" et que "les Etats-Unis enquêtent".

Washington a cependant opposé une fin de non recevoir à ces appels. Interrogé par la BBC, le porte-parole de l’armée américaine, le colonel Dave Lapan, a dit n’avoir pas l’intention d’ouvrir une enquête, affirmant que, en matière de mauvais traitements par des Irakiens, le rôle des soldats américains étaient "d’observer et d’établir un rapport" à leurs supérieurs chargés de le transmettre aux autorités irakiennes. Il s’agit là d’une "pratique habituelle" de la communauté internationale.

Fin de citations

VDO de l'affaire sur le site Democracy Now. Un show TV de Amy Goodman et Juan Gonzalez, diffusé sur un network de 850 stations aux Etats-Unis et repris sur Youtube qui diffuse les deux émissions du programme.

En langue anglaise. http://www.democracynow.org/

Sources: Agencies, Reporter's Notes

✍✍✍ Commentaires:

"... Cette opération spectaculaire permet à la presse dominante de rattraper son retard en matière d’information. Les documents divulgués rapportent des événements dont la presse irakienne et la Résistance se sont fait l’écho au fur et à mesure au cours des dernières années et que la presse dominante s’est efforcée d’ignorer et de cacher à ses lecteurs. le New York Times, le Guardian, Le Monde et Der Spiegel présentent leur remise à niveau comme un exploit journalistique, un scoop de très grande ampleur, au lieu de s’excuser auprès de leurs lecteurs pour leur avoir si longtemps menti."

Who is this man standing near Kim Jong Il and who looks like Kim Il Sung?

North Korea went last month, late September 2010, through a series of large-scale events to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the founding of its ruling Workers' Party, and to rename Kim Jong IL as the top leader of the North Korean regime. KJI was reelected as General Secretary as officially announced on the KCNA news September 28th. DPRK, (North Korea) has introduced a successor named Kim Jong Un who, according to press reports, is said to be the 3rd son of current leader Kim Jong Il. KJI is now 69 years old.

I have been searching in the DPRK official communiques since September and things are clear and simple, nowhere have I found that the KCNA agency announced any information stating officially that this man of the balcony is Kim Jong Un, the 3rd son of Kim Jong Il. Someone forgot to send a telex? Who is this young man who looks like Kim Il Sung in his younger age? *** And I won't rely on any type and origin of propaganda papers whatever from DPRK, ROK, Japan based or else such as Radio Press, Daily NK.

Sources specialized on DPRK and Korean peninsula affairs confirmed this lack of official announcement. But they added "KJU might be presented as such," naturally. Why is there no official announcement on KCNA official link and sources?

I know it appears as a bit weird and I am certainly not speculating into controversy or trying to make any suspicious claim, although North Korea has educated foreign observers to double even triple check any piece of information about the Stalinian alike state DPRK.

Especially we know that DPRK is branded by watchers as a "Royal" family who has had a rather lavish and well-entertained life, with luxurious life style in hermit properties, with the female battalions. Reference about it is made in Bradley K. Martin's book "Under the loving care of the fatherly leader" about the Happy Corps Girls or de facto female concubines trained at Tongi-Ri. (Page 195 and more about the contemporary "harem" of the DPRK elite that some foreign VIPs' had the experience to attend). Therefore one question comes in mind: how many potential heirs, official or unofficial exist born from the leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il? Issue related to other Asian current royal families too.

On the contrary, the alleged natural heir of Kim Jong Il and officially recognized elder son, Kim Jong Nam, stated in Korean language during an interview made in Beijing to Japanese Asahi TV that he, Jong Nam, disapproved "hereditary succession" but that because there were "certainly intern reasons to this situation and that if it was the case", "then we have to accept it". Unquote. The last segment of this sentence suggest several interpretations, one being that eventually Jong Nam only serves the same propaganda as Pyongyang is willing to air, but that he also felt, as was previously said, betrayed by his biological father, in the same way as other "potential" heirs. To be continued.

Chosen Soren in disgrace in Pyongyang?

Now on "Chosen Soren", the North Korea resident association in Japan seems to be loosing influence in Pyongyang located Workers Party as they did not appear at the celebrations in Pyongyang. Why? Re organization? What we heard is that there was a limitation of financial contribution to DPRK from Chosen Soren since the mid- 2000's PM Junichiro Koizumi "embargo" and freeze of income on Japan based organization supporting North Korea. My Japan sources were crystal clear at that time, politics, police departments, diplomats in Japan and foreign. Everything has been made to cut the cash line between Japan and DPRK, at least, through the banking system. Koreans pro DPRK in Japan isolated by Pyongyang rulers?

Images

Collected here are reports and images from the recent highly-orchestrated events in Pyongyang, with the "young general" Kim Jong Un in an excellent collage of pictures.

Click http://bit.ly/diwguX

*** NB: Asian Gazette has no reason whatsoever to suspect that KJU is not the proper offspring of North Korean leader KJI but has not found any official confirmation from Pyongyang authorities and therefore expect official statements contradicting experts sources on North Korea who seem to be branding controversies on this dynastic transmission of power. No more no less. Could be a long wait in...

Sources: Reporter's Notes

2010 Violations of Press Freedom: Western Democracies too...

Freedom of the press,

Access to sources, Confidentiality of Sources

The real "barometer" of Democracy

After Afghanistan this summer, the website Wikileaks released October 22nd with several media 400,000 classified documents from the archives of the American army on the war in Iraq. The New York Times, United States, the British Guardian, Le Monde in France or the Spiegel in Germany were able to consult these reports 400,000 U.S. forces in Iraq.

This, says Le Monde on its website, reports of incidents written by officers in the field between January 2004 and December 2009. They "describe, day after day, the bombings, fire-fights, searches for weapons caches, arrests and violence against civilians."

These "Leaks"were harshly criticized by US officials sources, [one can understand why] but welcomed by international media and the public who discovered a hidden aspect of the Iraq war. Similar releases are to be made soon again about Afghanistan, according to Wikileaks sources.

Sources, and provided data, are naturally most crucial assets to journalists who then are to establish the credibility or not of these data.

France, in spite of claiming that the secret of sources is the key to democracy and claims in the "Act No. 2010-1 of 4 January 2010 on the confidentiality of journalists' sources with the Article 7 that this Act is applicable throughout the territory of the French Republic" was ranked 44th in the latest ranking on press freedom published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Among the reasons cited for poor ranking in France, Jean-Francois Julliard, Secretary General of RSF, quotes Nicolas Sarkozy (29% in the latest popularity survey presidential) majority "abusive" towards journalists, and notes the repeated attempts to violate the confidentiality of sources.

Even in sport journalism: "Le président de l'OL n'a pas aimé un article de L'Equipe". "War is declared between Jean-Michel Aulas and daily L'Equipe. The president of Lyon, very put together by an article published Friday, publicly settled its accounts with one of the daily..." http://bit.ly/9k2yda

Commentator Shoichiro Tahara

In the RSF list, Japan is 12th. One recent controversy is the Tahara case. Tahara is a famous TV Asahi commentator and the Kobe District Court has ordered him to turn over a taped interview with a senior Foreign Ministry official as evidence in a lawsuit over remarks he made on TV stating that the ministry knows the people on its list of potential abductees taken by North Korea must already be dead. Soichiro Tahara will appeal to the Osaka High Court, arguing that he should be allowed to keep his news source confidential the Mainichi wrote yesterday. Tahara made the recording on Nov. 11, 2008, when he interviewed the senior official. Tahara is being sued by the parents of an abductee who claim his remarks caused them psychological pain and that he should pay compensation.

RSF 2010 World Press Freedom Index

It is not a surprise that the countries who have a better defined line of respect towards the journalists are in western Europe. The EU leads the list of nations being most respectable of the protection of sources.

Finland, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden are the top 5 and lead the list with European Union nations like Belgium 14th or Luxembourg 15th. Israel, is 86th, the UK 19th, the USA 20th, Singapore 136th, Russia 140th, Brunei 142nd, China 172nd, Hong Kong 34th!

RSF commented after publication of its Press Freedom Index 2010:

"It is disturbing to see several European Union member countries continuing to fall in the index. If it does not pull itself together, the European Union risks losing its position as world leader in respect for human rights. And if that were to happen, how could it be convincing when it asked authoritarian regimes to make improvements? There is an urgent need for the European countries to recover their exemplary status. We are also worried by the harsher line being taken by governments at the other end of the index. Rwanda, Yemen and Syria have joined Burma and North Korea in the group of the world’s most repressive countries towards journalists. This does not bode well for 2011. Unfortunately, the trend in the most authoritarian countries is not one of improvement.

"The Rules Of The Journalism Game"

An article describes that it is not easy to understand freedom of Press, an example in the USA: "Most reporters think that the average reader is totally in the dark about the rules of the journalism game. After the Washington Post fired one of its bloggers last week, readers would be justified in concluding that they know more about the rules than the journalists do. The Washington Post fired David Weigel, a blogger for washingtonpost.com who covered the Republican Party and conservative politics in general, after it came to light that he had written some nasty e-mails about Ron Paul, Matt Drudge and Rush Limbaugh."

The story here:

http://bit.ly/apH5Ek

A good story about France, "Mémoire qui flanche La tremblante du journaliste" in lunion.presse.fr

http://bit.ly/9xCw0h

RSF 2010 index: http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2010,1034.html

CCJ http://www.concernedjournalists.org/

Sources: RSF, CCJ, Mainichi Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, cartoons Sejong, Reporter's Notes

"Hysterical" Arms Race in East Asia

Odd prologue to ASEAN, G20, and APEC Summits!

East Asia on the radar screen of 'weapons dealers'

While a U.S. reconnaissance satellite has detected signs of North Korea preparing for a nuclear test in North Hamgyong Province, according to the Chosun Ilbo of today, a test that could be held where it had conducted two earlier tests in October 2006 and May 2009, in Tokyo the Japan's defense ministry has decided to increase the number of its submarines, a decision to be introduced by the end of this year and to be included in Japan's new "National Defense Program Outline."

In the meantime, the Russian agency RIA Novosti wrote October 20th that North Korea "is in favor of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and is ready to abide by the agreements reached at the 2005 six-party talks in Beijing" and quotes Pyongyang's acting Charge d'Affaires in Russia, O Seung-Ho. Ria Novosti recalls that North Korea pulled out of talks with Russia, Japan, China, the United States and South Korea over its nuclear program last April after the United Nations condemned the communist state's missile tests.

Gone with the Wind: the East Asian economic integration?

Since the recent Senkoku Daioyu territorial disputes, the tension increased. More oil on the fire when China declared to be shocked by Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara's comments about its reactions following Japan's detention of a Chinese trawler last month, China urging Japan to take concrete actions to repair ties. Chinese spokesman Ma's comments came after Maehara on Monday said China's countermeasures in September following Japan's detention of a Chinese trawler captain near the East China Sea were "hysterical."

The Defense Ministry plans to increase the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s submarines to 22 units from the current 16 as part of Japan’s basic defense program for fiscal 2011 to 2015 "amid increasing naval activity by China in waters near Japan ministry and MSDF officials".

Japan defense ministry want to reinforce its vigilance capacity in nearby waters, especially the East China Sea. In the past, Japan had no more than 20 submarines since the government adopted its first defense program in 1976. Mr Kan increases the divide between Japan and China observers said while China Navy has 58 submarines in active service, 2 in reserve.

The current Japan defense policy guidelines, adopted by the cabinet in December 2004, notes that "attention must be paid to developments such as moves by China, a key influence on the region’s security, pushing forward with modernizing its navy and air forces and trying to expand the scope of its naval activities." Meanwhile, Japan's defense ministry is studying the reduction of minesweepers to address budget restriction.

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine force currently has two groups. The 1st group based in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, the 2nd group based in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Japanese Ministry of Defense made this decision because it is said that the Chinese Navy submarine fleet offensive capabilities improved.

"Foreign Minister Maehara's description of Chinese action as excessive is close to the mark, but misses the point. Chinese are likely to arrest Japanese fishing crews, as they have done to Vietnamese fishing crews, and require Japan to apologize. China is expanding its exercise of the rights of the sovereign in all disputed maritime areas", according to defense foreign observers.

According to media speculation: "With a tight diplomatic schedule ahead, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is considering skipping next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Japan, according to U.S. and Japanese government sources." The Nikkei writes today.

Sources : Kyodo, Chosun Ilbo, agencies, Heritage report http://bit.ly/awP2eD