FTA: The tough words on Europe by Akira Amari, Japanese minister Economic Revitalisation

Why EU and Japan stays far apart on a Free Trade Agreement? Because of the TPP…  

Mr. Akira Amari, Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization - FPC Japan Nov 30 2015

On FTA Japan Europe,  Japan and the European Union, which agreed to launch FTA talks in March 2013, started this week their negotiations in Tokyo. One of the areas where we definitely need to see liberalisation on the Japanese side is the agriculture sector, especially food and drinks, EU negotiators said. The answer of Japan came very abruptly on Monday by Mr. Akira Amari, Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization. Amari had hard words on Europe scarcely heard from a Japanese official, I asked Mr Amari a question about EU-Japan FTA negotiations versus TPP at a fascinating briefing at FPC Japan, in Tokyo, November 30th opened to foreign press and embassies.

Amari was tough. Proof that Japanese politicians of this magnitude know exactly what they do and say, no-one here writes it for them. Proof too that there is a malaise in the construction of TPP versus Europe. I do not recall any statement of this magnitude in recent months between Japan and Europe, interesting enough.

SOUNDCLOUD 3min 33 sec

https://soundcloud.com/jo-l-legendre-koizumi/fta-the-tough-words-on-europe-by-akira-amari-japanese-minister-economic-revitalisation

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is the most important trade agreement in world history, in both economic and geopolitical terms. It incorporates 40% of the global economy, including its largest and third-largest countries. It will increase the income of the participating countries by almost $300 billions. It sets the stage for eventual expansion into a comprehensive Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific that will include virtually every country in the region, perhaps including China and India. This is if you are optimistic. Integration mechanism also show huge imbalance between Asian and Pacific nations and the U.S. in matters of development and political systems.

The European Union, over 50 years of existence, its original Common Market was created of six countries, it was much smaller than the TPP. But today the European Union is a politico-economic union of 28 member states that are located "primarily" in Europe, North to South West to East, it included ex Soviet Union nations and incorporated the new comers into its integrated political and economical system. Europe covers an area of 4,324,782 km², with a population of over 508 million Europeans.

The European Union (EU) is a politico-economic union of 28 member states. EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), formed by the Inner Six countries in 1951 and 1958, respectively. Then the community and its successors have grown in size by the accession of new member states, and, in power by the addition of policy areas. The Maastricht Treaty established the European Union under its current name in 1993 and introduced European citizenship. The latest major amendment to the constitutional basis of the EU, the Treaty of Lisbon, came into force in 2009.

By comparison, the TPP includes only 12 countries and is only a free trade agreement between the U.S. and Japan. These two countries together account for about 60% of its economic relations. Some models show that, by 2025, its exports and imports will each grow by $140 billion annually and its national income could reach more than $100 billion.

By comparison, the economy of the European Union generates a GDP (nominal) of about €14.303 trillion (US$18.451 trillion in 2014) and a GDP (PPP) of about €12.710 trillion (US$16.773 trillion in 2014) according to International Monetary Fund

The geopolitics of the new TPP agreement wishes to be more important than its economics. After Europe, the TPP will provide the first binding institutional ties between the U.S. and East Asia. But there is a major geopolitical risk that the Asia-Pacific region could divide into two broad economic zones if China does not join the TPP. In matters of integration, Europeans have the know-how, TPP is still at the beginning of its not yet decided structural path.

On November 25, 2015, Japan adopted the General Policy Framework of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Still unclear on issues such as food among other items.

For Europeans, a free trade agreement between the European Union and Japan, should not replicate the Trans-Pacific Partnership concluded by the United States, Japan and the 10 other Pacific Rim countries. In this context, Japan and the European Union, which agreed to launch FTA talks in March 2013, started this week their negotiations in Tokyo, which will be the last round for this year 2015.

Positions are still far apart in many areas. The negotiations will move well into next year according to Bruxelles’negotiators. “The EU is ready to eliminate its tariffs on automobiles provided that concessions received in return will be sufficient.

NB: After the interview, I asked Mr Amari if he would drink Chili wine or Bordeaux when he is going to the restaurant with his guests and friends, he looked at me with a big smile and gave me a gentle tap on the arm with un "air entendu"...!

Gouverneur de Tokyo Yoichi Masuzoe à l'ambassade de France "Solidarité Tokyo Paris"

Le Gouverneur de Tokyo Yoichi Masuzoe sur les attaques terroristes de Paris, aujourd'hui dimanche 15 novembre 2015 il s'est rendu à l'ambassade de France à Tokyo pour porter le message de solidarité de Tokyo et du Japon en présence des autorités françaises et japonaises devant 3000 français et japonais.  

The Governor of Tokyo Yoichi Masuzoe on the terrorist attacks in Paris. Today Sunday, November 15, 2015 Yoichi Masuzoe came to the Embassy of France in Tokyo to carry the message of solidarity of Tokyo and Japan with a crowd of 3000 French and Japanese citizens united.

VIDEO : https://youtu.be/IvbxtNZet7I

Tokyo and Kyoto festivals: "Le cinéma japonais hier et aujourd’hui"

Le Cinéma Japonais hier et aujourd’hui avec le festival international du film 2015 de Tokyo et le festival de Kyoto.

Dans l'émission "Bain de Culture" sur Medi 1 Internationale . Mon reportage-magazine, à la 37e minute.

(Japanese Cinema today and yesterday: Our correspondent updates following the 2015 international movie Tokyo and Kyoto festivals. Programme "Bain de Culture" on Medi 1 Internationale.)

http://www.medi1.com/player/player.php?i=7377358

Arrested 2 weeks to try to land on the Senkaku Diaoyu islands!

One of my Japanese journalist's friend tells me: "One of our colleagues, a "fixer" was arrested and detained at the headquarters of the Japanese police on the island of Ishigaki for 2 weeks for leading a crew of an American TV channel beyond the limit near Senkaku Diaoyu islands. Freed thereafter she has known her hour of fame for being the first woman arrested for questions of navigation and maritime safety. Arrest she considers to be unfounded."

Le Japon montre les muscles "Japan Fleet Review 2015" Tokyo shows its military power

Sur ‪MEDI1‬ Internationale, mon reportage sur la Fleet Review du Japon et la Chine dans ‪Planétoscope‬ : "Le Japon montre les muscles. Dans un contexte régional tendu et après des années de pacifisme, Tokyo affirme sa puissance militaire..." On parle dans Planétoscope de l'Allemagne puis du Japon et de la Chine (reportage et Q&A) et de la Syrie. (On MEDI 1 International my report about Japan navy and the China Japan tension) (Mon nom de plume sur MEDI1: Noel Clercq) 

Reportage:
http://www.medi1.com/player/player.php?i=7367646

Japan's war with emotion and history: Unesco, Nanking, Siberia, Kuril islands, Senkaku-Diaoyu

感情と歴史との日本の戦争：ユネスコ、南京、シベリア、千島列島、尖閣諸島

"CCS Suga said Monday Oct 12th 2015 that the Japanese government will consider stopping financial contributions to UNESCO or reducing the amount, given the U.N. body’s decision to add Chinese documents on the Nanjing Massacre to the “Memory of the World” program." 

http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/japan-may-stop-financial-contributions-to-unesco-suga

I read interesting comments about this issue and I begin with the Japan Today owned by Sankei media nationalist group : "Immature nationalism from a government [Abe Suga] that wants to take Japan back to the 1930's because they look back at those militaristic times fondly."

Indeed, one can nourish doubts about Japan's versatile behaviour as Japan did not complain then in 2014 for the inclusion of the return of POW from Siberia for Unesco listing. 
http://japandailypress.com/japan-set-to-file-ex-japanese-pows-mementos-for-unesco-listing-0545272/

"The Nanjing Massacre (or in the whitewashers’ language – “incident”) documents deserve to be archived and studied. The reaction from this government is petulant and childish to put it politely. It’s funny how the Japanese government has attacked UNESCO as being “political” – yet when one of their own nominations are approved, it’s accepted as apparently well-deserved!" 

"Japan is by no means the only country that likes to sidestep its dark history, but the veracity in which the Abe administration perpetuates the notion that it was somehow a victim in the second World War is contemptible." 
http://www.koreaobserver.com/japan-doesnt-want-the-world-to-remember-the-rape-of-nanjing-52644/


To read also: The Beautifully Dressed Skeletons in Japan’s Closet whose picture is quoted

"... The most disturbing Omiyamairi image is based on a news photo of General Matsui Iwane entering the gates of Nanking on December 12, 1937, shortly before he ordered his troops to massacre everyone who survived the bombing and sacking of the city. Iwane is shown seated on a horse, a righteous conqueror. One cannot imagine that the boy’s parents knew what was actually going on when the naming ceremony took place. Although men and boys wore most of the propaganda kimonos, there were a few in the exhibition that were worn by women...."

http://hyperallergic.com/243139/the-beautifully-dressed-skeletons-in-japans-closet/

Nanking Omiyamairi (1937/38)

Japanese I talked to whose family did not return form Siberia POWs' camps generally keep a low profile on the WW2 massacres and brutality committed by Japan imperial armies. These people, well established in Japan, are in the 70's or 80's generations and are vocal critics of the current Abe administration and its "war monger tone." On history, Japan shows its immaturity for the unique reason that Japanese government will do nothing on its own without the agreement first of the U.S. government. Same goes with the territorial interpretation of history by Japan about... say... the northern territories or on the Senkaku, Diaoyu. On the Kurile, has Tokyo forgotten that it agreed to the following in the San Francisco Treaty? "Japan renounces all right, title and claim to the Kurile Islands". 

On the Senkaku Diaoyu islands and on the territorial dispute, it is not a loss of time to quote this story to better understand what is at stake and why.  “Cairo Treaty: China’s Moral Claim to the Diaoyu Islands” by Greg Austin, a Professorial Fellow at the EastWest Institute. Dec 06, 2013

http://www.chinausfocus.com/foreign-policy/cairo-treaty-chinas-moral-claim-to-the-diaoyu-islands/

Quotes: "The 70th anniversary of the Cairo Declaration signed on December 1, 1943 by the leaders of China, the United States and the United Kingdom in the heat of war against Japan has revealed the depths of the emotions felt by China over its claims to the Diaoyu Islands. The anniversary has been used to aggravate the deep emotions associated with the war. The sense of crisis and outrage in China is not only palpable. It is driving China’s policy. 

The 1943 document was intended to “punish the aggression of Japan”, to “strip” it of “all the islands in the Pacific which she has seized or occupied since the beginning of the first World War in 1914”, and to restore to China “all the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Manchuria, Formosa [Taiwan], and The Pescadores”.

This is the moral departure point of the majority of Chinese (including Taiwanese) in their view on the dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. They believe with every ounce of their being that the islands were covered by the communique and subsequent Allied agreements and Treaties premised on the Cairo Declaration. This is one of the most dangerous aspects of the dispute over these otherwise insignificant rocky island currently administered by Japan. If it were just a matter of law and not an issue of end of war justice, the dispute might be easier to settle. The danger has been heightened by the unequivocal commitment of the United States that an attack on the islands by China would be covered by the Mutual Defense Treaty with Japan."

Annex: 

1) 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty even if this Treaty was not discussed with parties involved such as P.R.C. and refused in signature by USSR and PRC. https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%20136/volume-136-I-1832-English.pdf

2) 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty - Traité de San Francisco

Le 8 septembre 1951, les représentants du Japon signent le traité de San Francisco avec ceux des États-Unis et de 47 nations alliées de la Seconde Guerre mondiale. L'Inde, la Birmanie et la Chine nationaliste, absentes ce jour, signeront à leur tour un traité de paix avec le Japon dans les mois suivants. L'URSS et la Chine populaire s'abstiennent de toute signature.

Par ce traité de paix, qui est l'aboutissement de la capitulation signée 6 ans plus tôt, le Japon reconnaît l'indépendance de la Corée et renonce à toute revendication sur ses ancienns possessions des îles Kouriles et Sakhaline, devenues soviétiques, ainsi que sur Taiwan (Formose) et ses archipels du Pacifique, passés sous tutelle étasunienne. Il renonce à toute intervention militaire extérieure et se voit seulement autorisé à constituer une « force d'auto-défense » non-nucléaire.

Soucieux de transformer l'archipel en base avancée face aux pays communistes, URSS et Chine populaire, les États-Unis conservent sur place d'importantes bases militaires, notamment à Okinawa. In http://www.herodote.net/almanach-ID-1683.php

China's military build-up in North-East Asia

Tiananmen, Peking

Very nationalistic and militaristic. Isn't it what China says about Japan? It is not on a parade day even on Tiananmen that we can judge of the ability and strength of an army, navy, airforce on a war theatre zone. The military build-up in North-East Asia isn't new, China already was engaged in wars in the XXth century, Korean war, WW2 though in disorganised bands and not actually part of the offensive against Nazis or Japanese military. (La Chine donne cette étrange impression de s'inviter hâtivement parmi les nations ayant fourni le plus impressionnant effort de guerre) So, is China today worrisome or to be understood as an act of rebalancing? Will China settle its problems thanks to international mediation? How do the Chinese project their own image? Chinese TV reported in English. Images are sometimes terrible. The narrators and reporters could anchor better, methinks, looks too close to the "ideological script" and sometimes appear "gauche, inelegant, inexact." Anchors of Chinese broadcasters need better training to match other international foreign stations. The anchor who tries to put all vileness about Japan in his guest' mouth at the 50th minute is absolutely unprofessional. Could do better, will do better fort sure next parade... Here is the link of the TV report, 3 hours.

https://youtu.be/TCfdGzXPN_w

Hiroshima 70 ans après la Bombe... sur RTL

広島 RTLフランス放送 RTL Soir du 06 août 2015, mon reportage et commentaire sur Hiroshima 70 ans après dans Question d’actualité de Françoise Cohen RTL Soir (August 6, 2015 My report and commentary on RTL Evening News "Question d’actualité" of Françoise Cohen, 14e minute.

http://www.rtl.fr/actu/societe-faits-divers/rtl-soir-du-06-aout-2015-7779325101

Satsumasendai sur RTL Le Japon redémarre la première centrale nucléaire à avoir passé les test de vérifications

L’événement aujourd'hui au Japon: Le Japon redémarre la première centrale nucléaire ("Premier réacteur d’une centrale nucléaire à avoir passé les test de vérifications et adopté des normes de sûreté plus sévères...") depuis l'accident de Fukushima, mes reportages sur RTL Fr (JP 06:30 et 08:00) BFMTV (en boucle sur BFMTV matinale) et sur MEDI 1 Radio Internationale et Radio Canada ~ “Satsumasendai" Japan restarts the first nuclear power plant (The Sendai Nuclear Power Plant reactor is set to become the first nuclear reactor restarting under new, strengthened safety procedures incorporating lessons from the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant disaster since Fukushima accident, my news-reports today August 11th.)

http://www.rtl.fr/actu/societe-faits-divers/le-journal-rtl-du-11-aout-2015-7779365118

Le Japon de Shinzo Abe 70 ans après la Seconde Guerre mondiale

L’empereur Akihito et l’impératrice Michiko devant le gouvernement Abe 

Nippon Budokan 15 Août 2015 (photo Joel Legendre-Koizumi)

Impressions 

N’aurait-il pas été “historique” 70 ans après la Seconde Guerre mondiale pour Shinzo Abe de dire simplement pardon, de dire les excuses du Japon, “Sincere apologies”, “謝罪”? Et de réunir 3 dirigeants, japonais, coréen et chinois lors d’un sommet historique du “septantenaire”? 

L’Asie de l’Est a raté son virage historique. Le texte d’Abe est-il écrit en anglais ou en japonais? Il est trop long. Trop imparfait, trop ambigu, un lessivage, un zig zag politico-diplomatique à force de ne pas dire les choses clairement et de ne pas admettre les horreurs de la colonisation et des guerres sino japonaises. L’Empereur du Japon (comme toujours serait-on tenté de dire) a réparé l’erreur de son Premier ministre, avec les mots qui lui sont impartis: "profonds remords” dans un texte court (photo) par rapport au texte d’Abe.

Sur la photo que j’ai faite de lui et de l’impératrice je lis toute sa fatigue et sa lassitude de voir ces politiciens excités, Hiranuma, Abe assis devant lui, en contrebas. L’impératrice, pourtant malade du coeur, fait de grands efforts pour l’assister. Il lui rend en fin de cérémonie lorsqu’il lui prend le bras pour l’aider à descendre de l’estrade. Ou bien est-ce l’impératrice qui soutient l’empereur qui a fait quelques manquements au protocole durant la longue cérémonie?

Discours de l’Empereur Akihito 

J’aime assez Japan Focus, mais c’est souvent à charge. On pourrait parler davantage d’auteurs japonais, russes, chinois et francophones. On cite toujours Dower. Et beaucoup d’autres de ces universitaires américains “liberals”. Leur terrain de prédilection qu’est l’examen de la réécriture de l’histoire en Asie par les révisionnistes n’a pas toujours sa contrepartie en Occident. Pourtant ce serait intéressant. Mais il décrit en détail pourquoi l’Asie est encore à batailler sur la Seconde Guerre mondiale: http://www.japanfocus.org/-John_W_-Dower/4079/article.html

Dower est né en 38. Il avait 7 ans donc lors d’Hiroshima. Je préfère les témoins directs, il en reste beaucoup en Asie. Japon, Chine, Corée. Dower a eu l’occasion de parler de ce que beaucoup nomment l’hypocrisie des américains dans l’après guerre. Le cas d’Iriye Akira est symptomatique du "lavage de cerveaux" effectués par les américains sur les étudiants japonais, devenus professeurs et auteurs. Mais il a beaucoup écrit sur la subite transformation intellectuelle des japonais, passant de la dictature militaire à la démocratie.

URSS, Chine, Corée(s) absents du traité, ce traité de San Francisco de “paix séparée" est une des causes des multiples problèmes que les peuples asiatiques subissent aujourd’hui, je le répète depuis 20 ans. L’absence d'études des années de guerre par les écoliers et étudiants japonais y compris ceux et celles passés par l’université et de leur propre histoire (Tribunal de Tokyo ou de Nuremberg) est souvent affligeante. Un grand silence mais pas un drame de conscience pour eux, 70 ans après?

Hier proche du Nippon Budokan ce 15 Août 2015, une foule au Yasukuni, parmi les trolls qui paradaient sur le site du sanctuaire, un type en uniforme de la Wehrmacht qui criait “Japon, Allemagne, Italie” au point d’irriter un photo-journaliste d’une agence de presse en langue anglaise qui lui a balancé "un F***  you, et a choqué un autre d’Italie avec lequel je filmais. Il y avait d'autres uniformes datant de... l’Ere Meiji. Les japonais ont une passion pour le cosplay. Chacun se côtoie sur le sanctuaire, c’est tragi-comique dans un tel site. Mais c’est vrai qu'on y trouve aussi des yakuza. Il serait temps de souffler les bougies de ces 14 criminels de guerre, non? Abe ne laissera pas son nom dans l’histoire, Murayama si. Ce colonialisme qui porte un autre nom est attristant. Dans le secret des corridors nombreux sont les japonais qui me disent leur mépris pour les dirigeants américains, les bombardements sur les civils, des centaines de milliers de morts, adultes, enfants. Oui mais le Japon aussi a tué tant et tant de millions de civils. Peu de gens osent le dire car les pays Alliés ont aussi offert la démocratie aux japonais. Mais les japonais ont-ils offert de sincères excuses et de suffisantes compensations pour les victimes et pour les traumatismes ineffaçables depuis 70 ans? En ont-ils la compréhension et la liberté de le faire?

Dower citation sur le Traité de San Francisco : “... Equally significant but less well remembered, the San Francisco settlement was a “separate peace.” The omissions from the list of nations that signed the peace treaty were striking. Neither Communist China nor the Chinese Nationalist regime that had fled to Taiwan were invited to the peace conference, despite the fact that China had borne the brunt of Japanese aggression and occupation beginning a full decade before Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entry into the war. Both South and North Korea were excluded, although the Korean people had suffered grievously under Japanese colonial rule and oppressive wartime recruitment policies between 1910 and 1945. The Soviet Union attended the peace conference but refused to sign the treaty on several grounds, including the exclusion of the PRC and Washington’s transparent plans to integrate Japan militarily into its Cold War policies. Viewed from the perspective of the separate peace, the San Francisco settlement thus laid the groundwork for an exclusionary system that detached Japan from its closest neighbors...”