カテゴリー: News

Malaysia’s relatively small but well equipped military forces face a number of tough challenges at present and in the near future. The country’s armed forces consist of the Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy and Royal Malaysian Air Force. Numbering around 100,000 active personnel (unlike its neighbor, Singapore, Malaysia has no compulsory military service) the country’s forces have to be prepared to deal with:

• Piracy
• Smuggling
• Kidnapping
• Trespass
• Terrorism

The MOD has a budget of around $4.0 billion which is estimated to be 1.5% of GDP. The Diplomat reported in October 2015 that budget for 2016 would be cut by 2.25% compared with the 2015 budget. While a relatively modest reduction, it can not be good news for military planners faced with the threats listed above.

Malaysia has a hodge-podge of Special Operations Forces, and it seems each service and branch has its own SOF unit.  A centralized structure to coordinate efforts, or a reorganization seem to be possible solutions to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

Malaysia has been a member of the Five Power Defense Agreement for 40 years. Other members include Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Recently Malaysia has joined the US coalition against ISIS, and there are reports of Malaysia sending CT experts to aid the Australian Government. Malaysia’s strong suit is counter-messaging; exposing the fabrications and mis-information of radical Islamic organizations such as ISIS to dissuade potential recruits, particularly young people, from joining.

Historically, Malaysia has actively supported United Nations peacekeeping efforts. Malaysian forces have been deployed to the Iran/Iraq border, Namibia, Western Sahara, Angola, Liberia, Somalia and Mozambique. Malaysia has also been involved in counter-insurgency actions in what is called the First Emergency (1948-1960), in the Sarawak Communist Insurgency, and in the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation.

The autumn of 2015 saw repeated warnings of possible domestic suicide attacks. At the same time, the actions of Philippine Abu Sayyaf fighters in eastern Sabah in carrying out kidnappings have resulted in travel warnings to tourists by both the UK and Australian governments.

Malaysians live in an increasingly-dangerous neighborhood, and it seems that a combination of both self-sufficiency and international cooperation will allow their armed forces to continue to keep them safe.

 

 

 

 

On December 6, 2015 at 8:00PM President Barack Obama addressed the American people on the San Bernardino shootings and defeating ISIL. (Full text below) 

Good evening. On Wednesday, 14 Americans were killed as they came together to celebrate the holidays. They were taken from family and friends who loved them deeply. They were white and black; Latino and Asian; immigrants and American-born; moms and dads; daughters and sons. Each of them served their fellow citizens and all of them were part of our American family.

Tonight, I want to talk with you about this tragedy, the broader threat of terrorism, and how we can keep our country safe.

The FBI is still gathering the facts about what happened in San Bernardino, but here is what we know. The victims were brutally murdered and injured by one of their coworkers and his wife. So far, we have no evidence that the killers were directed by a terrorist organization overseas, or that they were part of a broader conspiracy here at home. But it is clear that the two of them had gone down the dark path of radicalization, embracing a perverted interpretation of Islam that calls for war against America and the West. They had stockpiled assault weapons, ammunition, and pipe bombs. So this was an act of terrorism, designed to kill innocent people.

Our nation has been at war with terrorists since al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 Americans on 9/11. In the process, we’ve hardened our defenses — from airports to financial centers, to other critical infrastructure. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies have disrupted countless plots here and overseas, and worked around the clock to keep us safe. Our military and counterterrorism professionals have relentlessly pursued terrorist networks overseas — disrupting safe havens in several different countries, killing Osama bin Laden, and decimating al Qaeda’s leadership.

Over the last few years, however, the terrorist threat has evolved into a new phase. As we’ve become better at preventing complex, multifaceted attacks like 9/11, terrorists turned to less complicated acts of violence like the mass shootings that are all too common in our society. It is this type of attack that we saw at Fort Hood in 2009; in Chattanooga earlier this year; and now in San Bernardino. And as groups like ISIL grew stronger amidst the chaos of war in Iraq and then Syria, and as the Internet erases the distance between countries, we see growing efforts by terrorists to poison the minds of people like the Boston Marathon bombers and the San Bernardino killers.

For seven years, I’ve confronted this evolving threat each morning in my intelligence briefing. And since the day I took this office, I’ve authorized U.S. forces to take out terrorists abroad precisely because I know how real the danger is. As Commander-in-Chief, I have no greater responsibility than the security of the American people. As a father to two young daughters who are the most precious part of my life, I know that we see ourselves with friends and coworkers at a holiday party like the one in San Bernardino. I know we see our kids in the faces of the young people killed in Paris. And I know that after so much war, many Americans are asking whether we are confronted by a cancer that has no immediate cure.

Well, here’s what I want you to know: The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it. We will destroy ISIL and any other organization that tries to harm us. Our success won’t depend on tough talk, or abandoning our values, or giving into fear. That’s what groups like ISIL are hoping for. Instead, we will prevail by being strong and smart, resilient and relentless, and by drawing upon every aspect of American power.

 

Here’s how. First, our military will continue to hunt down terrorist plotters in any country where it is necessary. In Iraq and Syria, airstrikes are taking out ISIL leaders, heavy weapons, oil tankers, infrastructure. And since the attacks in Paris, our closest allies — including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom — have ramped up their contributions to our military campaign, which will help us accelerate our effort to destroy ISIL.

Second, we will continue to provide training and equipment to tens of thousands of Iraqi and Syrian forces fighting ISIL on the ground so that we take away their safe havens. In both countries, we’re deploying Special Operations Forces who can accelerate that offensive. We’ve stepped up this effort since the attacks in Paris, and we’ll continue to invest more in approaches that are working on the ground.

Third, we’re working with friends and allies to stop ISIL’s operations — to disrupt plots, cut off their financing, and prevent them from recruiting more fighters. Since the attacks in Paris, we’ve surged intelligence-sharing with our European allies. We’re working with Turkey to seal its border with Syria. And we are cooperating with Muslim-majority countries — and with our Muslim communities here at home — to counter the vicious ideology that ISIL promotes online.

Fourth, with American leadership, the international community has begun to establish a process — and timeline — to pursue ceasefires and a political resolution to the Syrian war. Doing so will allow the Syrian people and every country, including our allies, but also countries like Russia, to focus on the common goal of destroying ISIL — a group that threatens us all.

This is our strategy to destroy ISIL. It is designed and supported by our military commanders and counterterrorism experts, together with 65 countries that have joined an American-led coalition. And we constantly examine our strategy to determine when additional steps are needed to get the job done. That’s why I’ve ordered the Departments of State and Homeland Security to review the visa program under which the female terrorist in San Bernardino originally came to this country. And that’s why I will urge high-tech and law enforcement leaders to make it harder for terrorists to use technology to escape from justice.

Now, here at home, we have to work together to address the challenge. There are several steps that Congress should take right away.

 

To begin with, Congress should act to make sure no one on a no-fly list is able to buy a gun. What could possibly be the argument for allowing a terrorist suspect to buy a semi-automatic weapon? This is a matter of national security.

We also need to make it harder for people to buy powerful assault weapons like the ones that were used in San Bernardino. I know there are some who reject any gun safety measures. But the fact is that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies — no matter how effective they are — cannot identify every would-be mass shooter, whether that individual is motivated by ISIL or some other hateful ideology. What we can do — and must do — is make it harder for them to kill.

Next, we should put in place stronger screening for those who come to America without a visa so that we can take a hard look at whether they’ve traveled to warzones. And we’re working with members of both parties in Congress to do exactly that.

Finally, if Congress believes, as I do, that we are at war with ISIL, it should go ahead and vote to authorize the continued use of military force against these terrorists. For over a year, I have ordered our military to take thousands of airstrikes against ISIL targets. I think it’s time for Congress to vote to demonstrate that the American people are united, and committed, to this fight.

My fellow Americans, these are the steps that we can take together to defeat the terrorist threat. Let me now say a word about what we should not do.

We should not be drawn once more into a long and costly ground war in Iraq or Syria. That’s what groups like ISIL want. They know they can’t defeat us on the battlefield. ISIL fighters were part of the insurgency that we faced in Iraq. But they also know that if we occupy foreign lands, they can maintain insurgencies for years, killing thousands of our troops, draining our resources, and using our presence to draw new recruits.

The strategy that we are using now — airstrikes, Special Forces, and working with local forces who are fighting to regain control of their own country — that is how we’ll achieve a more sustainable victory. And it won’t require us sending a new generation of Americans overseas to fight and die for another decade on foreign soil.

 

Here’s what else we cannot do. We cannot turn against one another by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam. That, too, is what groups like ISIL want. ISIL does not speak for Islam. They are thugs and killers, part of a cult of death, and they account for a tiny fraction of more than a billion Muslims around the world — including millions of patriotic Muslim Americans who reject their hateful ideology. Moreover, the vast majority of terrorist victims around the world are Muslim. If we’re to succeed in defeating terrorism we must enlist Muslim communities as some of our strongest allies, rather than push them away through suspicion and hate.

That does not mean denying the fact that an extremist ideology has spread within some Muslim communities. This is a real problem that Muslims must confront, without excuse. Muslim leaders here and around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and al Qaeda promote; to speak out against not just acts of violence, but also those interpretations of Islam that are incompatible with the values of religious tolerance, mutual respect, and human dignity.

 

But just as it is the responsibility of Muslims around the world to root out misguided ideas that lead to radicalization, it is the responsibility of all Americans — of every faith — to reject discrimination. It is our responsibility to reject religious tests on who we admit into this country. It’s our responsibility to reject proposals that Muslim Americans should somehow be treated differently. Because when we travel down that road, we lose. That kind of divisiveness, that betrayal of our values plays into the hands of groups like ISIL. Muslim Americans are our friends and our neighbors, our co-workers, our sports heroes — and, yes, they are our men and women in uniform who are willing to die in defense of our country. We have to remember that.
My fellow Americans, I am confident we will succeed in this mission because we are on the right side of history. We were founded upon a belief in human dignity — that no matter who you are, or where you come from, or what you look like, or what religion you practice, you are equal in the eyes of God and equal in the eyes of the law.

Even in this political season, even as we properly debate what steps I and future Presidents must take to keep our country safe, let’s make sure we never forget what makes us exceptional.

Let’s not forget that freedom is more powerful than fear;

that we have always met challenges — whether war or depression, natural disasters or terrorist attacks — by coming together around our common ideals as one nation, as one people. So long as we stay true to that tradition, I have no doubt America will prevail.

Thank you. God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

---

 Link to text: https://medium.com/@WhiteHouse

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov both made statements on the Paris terror attacks before attending an international meeting on Syria.

Vienna, Austria

November 14, 2015

 SECRETARY KERRY: We talked, first of all, about the events in Paris, which follow on events in Beirut and events in Iraq. And we are in absolute and total agreement that these kinds of attacks are the most vile, horrendous, outrageous, unacceptable acts on the planet; that under any category – we don’t know who did it, but they are acts of terror. So we are witnessing a kind of medieval and modern fascism at the same time, which has no regard for life, which seeks to destroy and create chaos and disorder and fear.

And the one thing we can say to those people is that what they do in this is stiffen our resolve – all of us – to fight back, to hold people accountable, and to stand up for rule of law, which is exactly what we are here to do. And if they’ve done anything, they have encouraged us today to do even harder work to make progress and to help resolve the crises that we face.

So our hearts go out to the people of Paris, to the French, to people of other countries who lost their lives last night in this atrocious attack, and we intend to do everything in our power not just to stand with the French, but to stand with all people of decency who know this is wrong, this is evil, and we need to stand up against it.

FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV: I fully subscribe to what John just said. The president of the Russian Federation expressed his solidarity with the French people, our outrage at what happened in Paris, and let’s not forget that there were terrorist attacks taking innocent lives in Beirut and in Iraq in the last few days. I think we have to strongly reiterate that there will be no tolerance vis-a-vis terrorists.

And just like there is no justification for terrorist acts, which is the position of the Security Council, I believe, as John said, there will be no justification for us not doing much more to defeat ISIL, al-Nusrah, and the like. And I hope that this meeting as well would allow us to move forward.

MR KIRBY: Thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you all very much. Thank you, sir.

Text: Dep. of State (Website)

Photo: Dep.of State (Via flickr)

 

 

 

 

                    “Let Us Stop Fearing Reform”

Led by Japan and the United States, countries that share the values of freedom, democracy, fundamental human rights, and the rule of law will work on creating an “ocean of liberty and prosperity” in the Asia-Pacific region. Yesterday, an agreement in principle was reached on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

So began Mr. Abe at his press conference on October 6, 2015. Mr. Abe outlined the key points of the TPP agreement from the Japanese standpoint. He began by explaining how the agreement would benefit Japan in three areas:

• Making lives richer
• Providing Opportunities
• Protecting what must be protected

Mr. Abe then went on to answer questions from reporters about the agreement. The full text is printed below.

______________________________________________

Press Conference by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Opening Statement by Prime Minister Abe

(Introduction)

We are now seeing the long-awaited start of a new Asia-Pacific century.

Led by Japan and the United States, countries that share the values of freedom, democracy, fundamental human rights, and the rule of law will work on creating an “ocean of liberty and prosperity” in the Asia-Pacific region. Yesterday, an agreement in principle was reached on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

A vast economic zone on an unprecedented scale involving 800 million people, and accounting for close to 40% of the world’s economy is to be created. Japan will be playing a central role in this process. The TPP truly constitutes a grand plan for the long-term future of our nation.

(TPP: Making Our Lives Richer)

The TPP will make our lives richer.

It does not only mean that “national borders for trade” will disappear, allowing us to buy diverse products from around the world at lower prices. 

It will also mean that consumers will increasingly be able to avoid the regrets that come from being sold pirated and counterfeit goods. Phone roaming charges while traveling overseas may also become cheaper, and the personal information of consumers will also now be firmly protected as it travels throughout cyberspace. 

The benefits of the TPP agreement do not only lie in the removal of tariffs. Cheap and shoddy goods and services will be rejected. The TPP is an ambitious initiative to share fair common rules in which high levels of quality in a wide range of different fields, from services to intellectual property, will be properly recognized and appreciated, and to construct a sustainable economic zone.

(TPP: Providing Opportunities)

The TPP will provide us with opportunities.

The main beneficiaries of those will be small- and medium-sized businesses and small-scale firms that possess brilliant and outstanding capabilities, and people in the local regions who produce unique regional specialties.

The tariff on eyeglass frames, which is currently nearly 10%, will be reduced to zero. This is a perfect opportunity to further expand the global presence of Fukui Prefecture’s “Sabae brand” eyeglass frames. 

The 20% tariff on Japanese tea will be reduced to zero. The day may soon arrive when Shizuoka and Kagoshima Prefectures become known as among the world’s leading tea producing areas. 

Tariffs on ceramics, which in some countries exceed 30%, will also be reduced to zero. I am sure people around the world will be charmed by Japan’s finest traditional ceramics, such as Mino ceramic ware from Gifu Prefecture and Arita and Imari porcelain from Saga Prefecture.

It is my hope that highly motivated people in the local regions and youths will take full advantage of opportunities on the world stage that the TPP provides them with.  

(Pressing Forward Where We Should, Protecting What Must Be Protected)

There will be new rules to protect the investments of those who dive boldly into rapidly expanding overseas markets.

When investing in TPP member countries, the governments of those countries will no longer request transfers of technologies or make other such unjust demands. Our persistent efforts in the negotiations have ensured that Japan’s propositions are incorporated into the agreement.  

Over the course of our involvement in the TPP negotiations, we have repeatedly talked of the principle of pressing forward assertively in areas where we should, while also protecting what must be protected. 

Japan’s world-class universal healthcare system will be staunchly maintained. Food safety and security standards will also be tightly guarded. Japan’s sovereign right to implement legitimate regulations will in no way be compromised. Stipulations confirming this have been incorporated into the agreement with regard to Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions.

The promises that the Liberal Democratic Party made to the nation prior to Japan’s participation in the TPP negotiations have all been firmly kept. I would like to stress that fact today.

Above all, our stance of not accepting the elimination of tariffs with no sanctuary was a major prerequisite for our participation in the negotiations.

We strived right to the very end to protect important products that have long underpinned Japan’s agricultural sector—particularly, rice, wheat and barley, sugar cane, sugar beet, beef and pork, and dairy products.  

As a result, we were successful in ensuring these products were excluded from the list of tariff elimination. We also acquired the establishment of a new safeguard mechanism with which to restrict imports as an emergency measure in the event that imports of those agricultural products were ever to suddenly increase rapidly.

I believe that by actively leading talks during the tough negotiations, we were able to obtain the best possible result from the perspective of Japan’s national interest.

(TPP Task Force)

However, I am well aware that there are many who are very concerned that they may no longer be able to continue farming activities once Japan enters the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The Government is as determined as ever to continue to protect Japan’s beautiful rural landscapes, traditional villages, and agricultural tradition of extending helping hands to each other—aspects of Japan that are our national pride and constitute an integral part of our national character. 

I will be taking the lead in working on this initiative. I will establish a TPP Task Force that will include all Cabinet Ministers. The entire Government will take responsibility for implementing comprehensive measures to the fullest extent possible. I will begin issuing concrete instructions once Minister Amari arrives back in Japan and submits his report to me. 

I will work in a manner that is sympathetic to the concerns of farmers, taking all possible measures to make absolutely certain that agricultural producers can continue their work with peace of mind. One of those measures will be to ensure that, by taking necessary steps, the total distributed amount of rice — for which a new import ceiling will be set — does not increase. 

Agriculture is the very foundation of our nation. However, the farming population has dropped from over 16 million in the post-war period to the current figure of 2 million. This means that the farming population has decreased to one-eighth of its post-war size over these last 70 years, and the average age of those in the sector is now over 66. 

We have to consider the TPP agreement as a chance rather than a threat. We have to consider it as a catalyst to reform agriculture, making it possible for youth to passionately devote themselves to pioneering new horizons.

With the TPP agreement, the tariffs imposed on agricultural produce in many countries will be eliminated. 

Japan has many kinds of sweet and juicy fruit varieties that differ from those of other countries, including Hokkaido Prefecture’s melons and Oita Prefecture’s pears. The agreement provides a considerable opportunity for Japan’s famous and delicious rice varieties such as Niigata Prefecture’s “Koshihikari,” Miyagi Prefecture’s “Hitomebore,” and Aomori Prefecture’s “Tsugaru Roman” to take on the global market. 

Marbled Wagyu beef has apparently recently become popular amongst New Yorkers, who are particularly sensitive to new trends.

However, the 26% tariff that is imposed on the beef inevitably makes it an expensive product. This has acted as a major barrier to export.    

The TPP agreement will remove this barrier. No tariff will be imposed on the export volume up to 40 times more than the current level. In addition, in the future, all restrictions will be eliminated. I am certain that this presents a major opportunity to let people in the United States learn more about, and enjoy more of, Japan’s delicious Wagyu beef.

The Government intends to provide its full support to those who see the TPP agreement as an opportunity to tackle the global market.

(Conclusion)

For nearly 20 years, Japan’s economy has suffered the effects of deflation.

People feel undervalued and undercompensated no matter how much of an effort they make. An inward-looking mindset has been pervasive throughout Japan, and people have been reluctant to take on new challenges. I think everything is the result of such mindsets and fears. 

Domestic and overseas economic conditions are in continuous flux, affected by factors such as the ongoing effects of the low birthrate and aging population, economic globalization, and the rise of emerging countries.

Let us stop fearing reform. We must be brave and take on new challenges. Now is the time to innovate and to step out into a world that has now opened up.

The TPP agreement is only the start of this process. Beyond TPP, there is the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), through which we will work together with other Asian nations to create even larger economic zones. We are also aiming to conclude EPA negotiations with Europe by the end of the year, and we will need to accelerate that process. I am determined that Japan continue to demonstrate its leadership.

70 years ago, Japan lost everything.

However, we were quick to participate in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and make progress with trade liberalization. We built up new industries such as automobile and electronics and boldly went into international competition. In only 20 years, we grew to become the world’s second largest economy after the United States.

Our current prosperity is thanks to the grueling efforts of our predecessors. Current generations also have a major responsibility to devote their energies to ensuring the further growth of Japan before passing the nation on to our children’s and grandchildren’s generations.

In order to fulfill this responsibility, and together with the people of Japan, I would like to take a new step forward here today. I would like to ask for the public’s understanding and support of Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

I will end my opening statement here.

 

Questions and Answers

REPORTER (KOBAYASHI, HOKKAIDO SHIMBUN): My name is Kobayashi from Hokkaido Shimbun, one of the coordinators of the press club. 

Two years ago you made the decision to participate in the TPP negotiations after promising to the public that you would pursue the best path from the standpoint of Japan’s national interests. Although business figures have welcomed the agreement, people in agricultural organizations and others have suggested that certain aspects of the agreement including the new import ceiling on rice that you just mentioned runs counter to the Diet resolution which prioritizes the maintenance of inviolable areas of trade, including the five sensitive agricultural product categories, and does not rule out Japan’s exit from the negotiations if these could not be maintained. Do you believe that those inviolable areas of trade that Japan needs to protect are in fact protected under the agreement? Could you please also share with us specific details about the timing and scale of the measures to be implemented with the aim of helping domestic industries that will be affected by the agreement?

PRIME MINISTER ABE: In April 2013, with regard to the TPP negotiations, a resolution was adopted by the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Committees of the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives. The resolution states that rice, wheat, beef, pork, milk products, sweetening resource products and other sensitive agricultural, forestry and fisheries products should be exempt or taken for re-negotiation so that they can continue to be reproduced; No approval should be given even to gradual elimination of tariffs beyond ten years; the top priority given to the holding out of the immunity of five sensitive products in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries, and should not hesitate to abandon them in case such a consideration could not be upheld. 

In the TPP negotiations, which aimed at coming up with a comprehensive and high-level agreement, the pressure to eliminate tariffs was extremely strong, but the Government heeded the resolution, and since our official participation in negotiations in July in 2013 we have continued persistent negotiation efforts in line with the resolution right to the very end. As a result, we were able to secure a large number of tariff elimination exemptions, including the five sensitive products, at a level unseen in other free trade agreements concluded by the United States and other nations in recent years. 

With support from the Diet resolution we negotiated tenaciously and in addition to firmly maintaining the State Trading System centered on the five sensitive products as well as maintaining the existing out-of-quota tariff rates applicable to tariff quota items, we were also able to gain approval for effective countermeasures such as the establishment of tariff quotas and safeguards and extended tariff reduction periods.

Agriculture is the very foundation of our nation, and it is the Government’s responsibility to protect Japan’s beautiful rural landscapes. I intend to make the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries a field in which ambitious producers can feel secure about continuing their production activities, and which inspire young people to participate.  

We will work on careful scrutiny of possible specific effects. Based on the findings, the Government will, in a responsible manner, put together a set of domestic measures before the Diet approval of the TPP agreement. I also intend to put in place thoroughgoing measures, in line with the measures that we have gained during the course of the negotiations.

REPORTER (NISHIGAKI, FUJI TELEVISION): I am Nishigaki from Fuji Television, one of the coordinators of the press club. I have a related question about the Cabinet reshuffle. A broad agreement has been reached through participation in the TPP negotiation process. One of the Cabinet’s recent policies is the Legislation for Peace and Security, and a minister responsible for that has been appointed and the Cabinet has been working on the issue, but now with this turning point I imagine there will be changes to the duties of Cabinet ministers.

With the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle you are going to pursue the idea of creating a society in which all one hundred million-plus citizens are each dynamically engaged, but how will Cabinet policy change with this turning point? Accordingly, what personnel will you be assigning? I would like to hear your thoughts on those points. 

PRIME MINISTER ABE: Solving the issues of a low birthrate and an aging population, as well as creating a society in which all one hundred million-plus citizens are each dynamically engage, is not a simple process that can be carried out according to a predetermined blueprint. In order to achieve ambitious targets such as raising the desired birthrate (the hypothetical birthrate which would be achieved if the people’s desires regarding marriage and child-rearing were to be realized) to 1.8 and reducing to zero the number of people who leave work in order to provide nursing care, it will be necessary for the Cabinet to work closely together as a team to draft and implement bold new policies that will not be shackled by conventional ideas.

The Minister for Promoting Dynamic Engagement of All Citizens, acting as a “control tower” for the initiatives, will be required to have a broad vision to break down the administrative vertical divides that exist among government ministries and agencies, creativity to establish bold policies, as well as the strong ability to achieve breakthroughs in order to ensure the realization of the policies.

The new Cabinet will not be one that makes displays of originality merely for the sake of it. Rather, it will be one that prioritizes getting down to work and achieving results. I hope to establish a truly new Cabinet that works hard to deliver results. That is the kind of personnel I hope to assign to Cabinet roles.

REPORTER: My name is Sieg from Reuters.

In April this year, Secretary of Defense of the United States Ashton Carter stated that passing the TPP Agreement was as important to him as another aircraft carrier. By this he implied that the TPP not only has economic merits, but it also has tremendous strategic significance in the region. Prime Minister, how do you view the strategic significance of the TPP in terms of the Japan-U.S. relations, Japan-China relations and for the region as a whole? In particular, what message will the TPP Agreement send to China?

PRIME MINISTER ABE: The TPP Agreement will create a free, fair and open international economic system in the Asia-Pacific region with countries that share the fundamental values of freedom, democracy, fundamental human rights and the rule of law and drastically strengthen the rule of law in economic aspects.

The deepening of mutually interdependent relations between such countries based on rules suitable to a new era, particularly in the case that China chooses to participate in this system in the future, will make a large contribution to the security of Japan and the stability of the Asia-Pacific region, and also have tremendous strategic significance.

The TPP, formed with the participation of the United States and Japan, the world’s largest and third-largest economies, will become the world’s largest economic zone. It is certain that the TPP will also give further momentum to the ongoing negotiations of the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

The new economic order, which the TPP will create, is not limited to the TPP alone. It will form the basis for creating rules in other initiatives, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the even larger initiative, the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP). It therefore is significant as it will become one of the standards for the 21st century world.

REPORTER: I am Matsumoto from Jiji Press.

Within the opposition parties there are those calling for disclosure of details and information concerning the TPP negotiations and those who believe that deliberations should take place in the near term in the Diet.

On the other hand, the Government and the ruling parties have indicated their intention to postpone the opening of the extraordinary session of the Diet. Prime Minister, how do you intend to respond to the opinions being raised by the opposition parties? Also, could you share with us your current views on the timing for the opening of the extraordinary session of the Diet?

PRIME MINISTER ABE: The TPP Agreement will provide consumers in Japan access to better overseas products conveniently at lower cost.

At the same time, if agricultural businesses produce outstanding products that gain a good reputation overseas, the TPP will enable these businesses to export their products to countries to which it had been difficult to export until now. You could say that the TPP will form an economic system in which added value can be properly and highly appreciated.

Mainly in the emerging economies of Asia, industrial products such as automobiles and automobile parts have been subject to high tariffs, but under the TPP Agreement almost all of these tariffs will ultimately be eliminated.

The TPP Agreement will also relax market entry regulations in the services and investment sectors, including finance and logistics, making it easier for financial institutions in the regions and convenience store chains, for example, to expand overseas. It is also expected that such measures as ensuring conditions for fair competition with state-owned enterprises and expanding entry into infrastructure markets will provide a significant boost to the overseas expansion of Japanese companies.

The harmonization of rules on intellectual property and strengthened measures to combat counterfeiting and piracy will assure the smooth overseas deployment of contents and regional brands that are distinctive strengths of Japan.

The TPP will also create major business opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises and leading medium-sized companies in the region. This may not be understood very well. Although people may think that the TPP provides opportunities only for large companies, it will surely create big opportunities for local and regional small- and medium-sized enterprises and micro-businesses.

The development of rules on e-commerce transactions via the internet will open the way for small- and medium-sized enterprises to expand their businesses throughout the Asia-Pacific region while continuing to stay in Japan.

The formulation of rules of origin will make it easier for small- and medium-sized enterprises to expand their businesses overseas, while maintaining their production bases in Japan.

In order for small- and medium-sized enterprises to utilize the advantages provided by the TPP to the maximum extent, the TPP Agreement incorporates a variety of mechanisms that aim to promote utilization of the TPP by small- and medium-sized enterprises, including enhancing information provision and holding seminars.

The TPP will also create advantages for consumers and workers. Consumers will be able to go online to order various products from overseas in an easy-to-use and secure environment. As the TPP incorporated robust rules to protect labor and environmental standards in each country, I believe that a level playing field for workers has been ensured.

I will make every effort to implement all possible measures to ensure that Japanese companies can make maximum use of the TPP Agreement and that the agreement leads to real economic revitalization and the revitalization of local regions.

The Government will continue to provide detailed explanations about the unbiased information of the TPP including the advantages it will provide for Japan.

With regard to your question about the extraordinary session of the Diet, I will be consulting closely with the ruling parties on this matter. As I and other ministers are scheduled to attend many international conferences and overseas events in November, I will consult with the ruling parties and come to a decision regarding the extraordinary session of the Diet.

In any event, the TPP Agreement must be ratified by the Diet and due deliberations in the Diet will of course take place.

PRIME MINISTER ABE: Thank you very much.

 

                                  by David Parmer

Polluted, not very wide and forgotten—this seems to be an apt description of the Tumen river that flows for 521 km from Mount Paektu to the Sea of Japan, and borders China, Korea and Russia. Escapees from North Korea regularly cross the Tumen to China, but not Russia. This quiet river is scheduled to take center stage in the 21st century, and the agent of change is, of course, commerce, not politics.

Starting in 1990 at the Conference on Northeast Asian Economic and Technical Cooperation in Jilin, China there has been talk of creating an economic zone in the Tumen River area. Things moved slowly, and in 1991 the Tumen River Area Development Program (TRADP) was established. In 1995 five member countries agreed to a consultative commission. These countries were, Russia, China, DPRK, Mongolia and Republic of Korea. Re-named the Greater Tumen Imitative (GTI) in 2005, the organization looked at cooperation in Transport, Tourism, Energy, Investment and Environment. In 2012 mechanisms were created to support future development projects. The GTI says its purpose is to build “a great partnership for common prosperity between neighbours.”

The GTI strategic action plan aims to:

• Promote the rehabilitation and construction of basic transportation infrastructure and major transportation hubs to support economic cooperation and development in the GTR; 
• Deregulate the border-crossing procedures for the efficient movement of goods and passengers in the GTR; 
• Create a favourable environment to facilitate trade and attract private sector investment in the GTR, and improve access to international financial institutions for both public and private sector investment; 
• Promote the GTR as a globally attractive tourism destination and increase the cross-border tourist flows in the GTR; 
• Establish an effective institutional mechanism for energy policy support and reduce non-physical barriers to energy transmission and trade in the GTR; 
• Promote environmental sustainability in the GTR while conducting economic activities; 
• Strengthen the partnerships with Japan and DPRK and their participation in GTI cooperation for common prosperity in NEA;  

Enhance the capacity of the GTI as a significant regional economic and political partnership in NEA and transition it into an international organisation.

These are big plans, and things seem to be moving. One of the most interesting developments was reported by the Washington Post on October 15, 2015. China has completed an high-speed rail line from Changchun to Hunchun, and South Korean companies have established the Hunchun Posco Hyundia International Logistics facility.

For the area to begin to achieve its potential much work still needs to be done, but things are moving forward. Eventually, traffic will flow down the Tumen to Rason port in North Korea and on to the Sea of Japan. When this happens, its real-development will have begun.

Greater Tumen Initative

http://www.tumenprogramme.org

 

First, the good news. Tajikistan has stunningly-beautiful mountain scenery and nature abounds. Next, 70% of the population is under 30, another good thing. More promising is the fact that the literacy rate is at 99%. Minerals found here include silver, gold, uranium and tungsten. Tajikistan also grows a lot of cotton. And by all accounts the people are friendly. Lastly, the Lonely Planet guidebook says this about Tajikistan:

Where ‘Great Game’ spies and explorers once ventured, Tajikistan’s awesomely dramatic highland landscapes are now testing playgrounds for hardy climbers, trekkers and adventure travellers. Nascent rural homestay programs mean you might stay in timelessly photogenic rural villages hosted by gold-toothed, white-bearded patriarchs in iridescent joma robes. (Lonely Planet, Tajikistan intro.)

Now for the rest. Tajikistan is rated as the poorest nation in central Asia. The country, a former Soviet republic, has been independent since 1991. A civil war which pitted the government against radical Islamists following independence has repercussions being felt even today. Thirty five percent of the population is classified as below the poverty line. Much like in the Philippines, many workers are forced to seek employment overseas and remit the money to support families. This remittance economy is said to make up as much as half of GDP.

Tajikistan has a Russian military base in its capital, Dushanbe, and has ongoing military relations with the US. It has also conducted anti-terror drills with China.

The country’s long-serving president, Emomali Rakhmon heads a secularist government that, according to an RFE report, is cracking down on religious extremism. On August 28, 2015 the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan was banned and told to dissolve.

Besides terrorism, Tajikistan is also plagued with corruption, economic mis-management and drugs; it is a major transit point for drugs from Afghanistan headed for Russia and the outside world. Limited local poppy cultivation is also reported.

While Lonely Planet paints a rather rosy picture of travel in exotic Tajikistan, the US State Department is a bit less upbeat:

Terrorist attacks involving suicide bombers have occurred in Tajikistan and in neighboring Uzbekistan. Minor explosions occasionally occur in Dushanbe…

Terrorists may target residential areas, clubs and restaurants, places of worship, hotels, outdoor recreation events, and other venues. The limited number of facilities catering to Westerners in Tajikistan presents a heightened risk. (US Dept. of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, website)

And Canada adds:

 Regional Advisory for areas bordering Afghanistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan

Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada advises against non-essential travel to the areas bordering Afghanistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan because of security concerns. See Security for more information.

Regional Advisory for Gorno-Badakhshan

Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada advises against all travel to Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (province), including to the city of Khorough, due to the unpredictable security situation. See Security for more information. (Govt. of Canada, website)

Finally, what does the future hold for the country? Probably much of the same. It does not seem that the country’s two big challenges, radical Islam and drugs, will disappear any time soon. Economically, however, there might be a chance for Tajik life to improve across the board. Some spinoffs from the modern, re-vitalized Silk Road might trickle down to Tajikistan, and warm relations with China may help to create some real prosperity. With security and prosperity, anything is possible.

 

Photos:

Top: FRDA

Map: Wikitravel