経済産業大臣は二階俊博になって、中川昭一氏は農水大臣に横滑りしました、中川大臣はFTA交渉の手腕を評価されており、二階氏は親中派であることを評価されて、日中油田交渉でうまくやってくれよという、小泉氏あるいは飯島氏の意思表示でしょう。それとも森元首相、中川秀直氏あたりの意向にも思えます。小泉首相は郵政が終わってから抜け殻になってしまったのでしょうか。(貼り付け開始)
Japan’s trade chief makes overtures to Beijing
By David Pilling in Tokyo
Published: November 4 2005 12:11 | Last updated: November 4 2005 12:11
Japan’s new trade minister, who has better relations with China than any other cabinet official, on Friday made overtures to Beijing, saying he was prepared to be more flexible over energy and territorial disputes.
Toshihiro Nikai, speaking to the foreign press for the first time since his appointment in this week’s cabinet reshuffle, said he wanted to promote amicable discussions over disputed gas reserves in the East China sea, arguments over which have soured already bad relations between the Asian neighbours.
Referring to his predecessor, Shoichi Nakagawa, who made a point of asserting Japan’s rights to energy reserves, he said: “There may be some slight differences in our style. I wish to approach this matter in a more friendly manner.”
Beijing says the disputed fields are in its territorial waters, but Tokyo says they straddle the exclusive economic zone of both countries.
Mr Nikai is considered to have the best contacts in China of any member of the ruling Liberal Democratic party. His appointment has been welcomed by business leaders who are worried that hawks, such as Shinzo Abe, appointed chief cabinet secretary this week, and Taro Aso, the new foreign minister, could worsen already bad relations with Japan’s biggest trading partner.
The new trade minister said that he would not compromise Japan’s sovereign rights. But he added: “The result we should seek must be in the interest of both the Japanese and the Chinese people. A negotiation that ends in overwhelming victory for either side will not be sustainable.”
Referring to an offer made by Japan last month to develop disputed gas fields jointly, he said: “The ball is in their court and we are waiting for China to return the ball. I want frank and amicable discussions so we can co-operate and co-ordinate on this.”
China and Japan were due to discuss the gas issue at the end of last month but talks never took place, possibly because of Chinese anger at a visit by Junichiro Koizumi, Japan’s prime minister, to Yasukuni shrine, a nationalist symbol.
One senior government official said of Mr Nikai’s new tone: “Japan has limited scope for manoeuvre given that there are territorial implications to this dispute. It also has limited time, as we believe that China is very very close to [gas] production.”
The official said that if China started producing gas from the Tianwaitian field: “We will strongly tell them to stop it. If they won’t, then bilateral tension will get worse.”
On Japan’s attitude to the Doha round of world trade talks, Mr Nikai said he intended to be very “forthcoming". He suggested that the appointment of his predecessor, Mr Nakagawa, as agriculture minister could herald new co-operation between the two ministries whose attitudes to free trade have clashed in the past.
“Mr Koizumi is very keen on the success of the WTO. The fact that he moved Mr Nakagawa from trade to agriculture, I believe, is a very strong signal that the two ministries will work closely together to bring the WTO negotiations to a successful conclusion.”
One government official who knows Mr Nakagawa well said any hopes that he would suddenly lower agricultural barriers in the interest of world trade were misplaced. “I wouldn’t call Mr Nakagawa a protectionist but he is keen to see policy from the farmers’ point of view,” he said.
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/4eb8543e-4d29-11da-ba44-0000779e2340.html
(貼り付け終わり)