Tokyo Report: Japan Gearing Up for Obama Administration

Tokyo, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)--With less than a month to go before
Barack Obama's inauguration as the 44th U.S. president on Jan. 20, the
Japanese government is stepping up preparations for the creation of the
first Democratic administration in the United States in eight years.
Senior officials at the Japanese Foreign Ministry say in unison
that there will be no major changes in the Japan-U.S. alliance under the
Obama administration.
Undeniably, however, the Japanese government does not have as
strong ties with the Democratic Party as with the Republican Party.
The Democratic Party has more experts on China than those on Japan.
During the administration of President Bill Clinton, Tokyo had the bitter
experience of "Japan passing."
Japanese government officials therefore are afraid that the Obama
administration will turn the priority of the United States' Asian diplomacy
away from Japan toward China. "The nightmare (of Japan passing) may revive,"
says one official.
To avoid such a consequence, Prime Minister Taro Aso is eager to
hold talks with Obama as early as possible to establish close personal
relations as they agreed to when the U.S. president-elect called the
Japanese leader three days after the Nov. 4 presidential election.
The Japanese government expects close Aso-Obama relations to pave
the way for its quick approach to top officials of the incoming U.S.
administration.
Climate change, nuclear disarmament and development of Africa are
among priority issues for Obama. Japan has its forte in those areas and so
will be able to exercise its leadership, says a senior Foreign Ministry
official.
Nevertheless, there are many matters of concern for Japan. For
example, Obama has taken issue with the George W. Bush administration's
unilateral launch of war in Iraq despite opposition by the international
community and will call for greater multilateral cooperation in the fight
against terrorism in Afghanistan.
The Obama administration therefore may urge Japan to provide more
support for the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Japan has extended 1.45 billion dollars in aid to Afghanistan in
addition to its naval refueling operations in the Indian Ocean to support
the U.S.-led antiterrorism mission in the strife-torn country, and has set
aside an additional 550 million dollars. But a further increase in such a
budge appropriation will be difficult.
Although the government studied the possibility of sending troops
of the Self-Defense Forces to Afghanistan, it has shelved the plan as
opposition prevailed in the ruling coalition.
A possible U.S. request for additional Japanese support for
antiterrorism activities in Afghanistan will become a "serious political
problem," warns a senior Foreign Ministry official.
It is uncertain whether the Obama administration will understand
Japan's difficulty of providing greater support because of tough fiscal
conditions and the divided parliament, in which the opposition camp controls
the House of Councillors, the upper chamber.