Third Meeting

Thursday, October 26, 2000

Meeting Agenda

1. Matters relating to the Constitution of Japan (A vision for Japan in the 21st century)

After statements were heard from Dr. ICHIMURA Shin'ichi concerning the above matters, questions were put to him.

Informant:

  • ICHIMURA Shin'ichi, Director of the International Centre for the Study of East Asian Development (ICSEAD)

Members who put questions to Dr. ICHIMURA

Main Points of Dr. ICHIMURA's Statement

1. The geopolitical structure of the world (the basic perspective for viewing Japan in the global context)

* It is important to distinguish between continental and maritime nations, and between central and peripheral nations.

* As a national strategy, Japan should lead the East Asian group of nations and should promote the economic, social, and cultural development of the maritime nations, while allying itself with the United States and holding its own on friendly terms vis-a-vis the continental nations of China and Russia.

2. The tripolar global structure

(North America, Western Europe, East Asia): Japan's role in the integration of the East Asian region

* While taking care to maintain a balance with China, Japan should promote the development of East Asia as a whole and create an East Asian or Western Pacific economic bloc as one pole of a tripolar global structure.

3. The balance between the nuclear and nonnuclear states, and nuclear disarmament in relation to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

* The importance of energy issues in the 21st century and Japan's energy security policy

* The threat of a nuclear war arising from a regional conflict, and Japan's readiness to meet such a threat (reappraisal of the three nonnuclear principles)

4. Advanced countries, and Japan's declining birthrate and moral degeneration

* The population decline in developed nations, the population explosion in less-developed nations, and the ongoing aging of populations in every nation of the world

* The declining birthrate and moral degeneration faced by Japan

5. The keys to addressing the declining birthrate: family and community

* The keys to solving the problem: the family and the community

* The need for educational reform in Japan

6. The possibility of U.S. inertia and turmoil in China

* With both a waning of U.S. power and turmoil in China being foreseeable possibilities, Japan should realize its goal of obtaining permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.

7. Japan and its Constitution in the world of the 21st century

* The need to improve Japan's political, economic, and social systems, and the need to revise the Constitution to that end

* A clear statement of the basic structure of the state suited to Japan's history and traditions


Main points of questions put to Dr. ICHIMURA

HATOYAMA Kunio (Liberal Democratic Party)

>> You have expressed the view that the Constitution should be revised. What do you think should be the approximate time frame for revision?

>> I believe that the wording ". . . trusting in the justice and faith of the . . . peoples of the world. We desire to occupy an honored place . . . " in the Preamble of the Constitution should be revised because it can be interpreted to mean that we intend to leave matters to other nations and to do nothing ourselves. What is your view of this?

>> The traditional Japanese concepts of "family" and "community" are absent from the Constitution and the Fundamental Law of Education. Should this situation not be corrected?

>> What is your opinion with regard to Article 9 of the Constitution and the exercise of the right of collective self-defense?

>> I believe that history should be taught based on a specifically Japanese historical perspective and not, for example, on concerns with regard to neighboring countries. What is your view of this?


YAMAHANA Ikuo (Democratic Party of Japan and Club of Independents)

>> The 20th century is said to have been a century of war, and I believe the Constitution of Japan was formulated in a spirit of reflection upon that fact. As a premise for thinking about Japan in the 21st century, how do you view the role that the Japanese Constitution has played up to the present?

>> You advocate revision of Article 9 of the Constitution, but do you think that there should also be a reexamination of basic principles such as maintaining an exclusively defensive capacity and the three nonnuclear principles, and of such matters as the form that should be taken by PKO?

>> From your standpoint of placing importance on Japanese history and traditions, how do you view the present Emperor system?


AKAMATSU Masao (New Komeito)

>> What do you think will become of the Chinese state system in the near future? Also, what effect do you think this will have on Japan?

>> It will be necessary to review Japan-U.S. relations in the future. However, I believe that such a review should be conducted not at the beginning of the 21st century but at a somewhat later date, because a "self-reliant Japan" may be seen as a danger by countries in the surrounding region. What is your view on this point?


SHIOTA Susumu (Liberal Party)

>> As I see it, China is continuing its military buildup and is strengthening the basic structure of the state, and no change in its state system will occur in the near future. How do you view the situation?

>> What do you think is the ideal form of the Emperor system?


YAMAGUCHI Tomio (Japanese Communist Party)

>> I see the ASEAN as having the potential to contribute to peace and development throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia. What trends do you expect in the ASEAN in the 21st century?

>> I believe that Article 9 of the Constitution is the cornerstone of friendly relations with the Asian nations, and also that the doctrine that depends on nuclear weapons has failed throughout the world. What are your views on these points?


UEDA Munenori (Social Democratic Party)

>> Would you not agree that there is little basis for characterizing Japan as a "central nation" of East Asia in the 21st century?

>> Would it not be contrary to world opinion for Japan to arm itself with nuclear weapons in case of emergency, and would it not, in fact, destroy the peaceful order?

>> I believe that the problem in postwar education lies in the fact that there has not been adequate teaching of a spirit of respect for other cultures and basic human rights. What is your view of this? Also, I question whether there is any direct link between moral degeneration and revision of the Constitution or the Fundamental Law of Education. What is your view of this?


KONDO Motohiko (21st Century Club)

>> How long do you think that American influence will continue?

>> What do you think of the argument that we should place more importance on relations with China than on relations with the United States?

>> In studying the outlook for the 21st century, should we not take into account our relationships with the nations of South Asia, including India?


MATSUNAMI Kenshiro (New Conservative Party)

>> What trends do you foresee among the Islamic nations in the 21st century?

>> I believe that in the 21st century environmental degradation will become more serious, and that it will become an issue that should take priority over all national interests. What is your view of this?

>> I believe that Japan should play a more active role than the United States in securing energy resources from the nations of South Asia and the Middle East. What is your view of this?