Japan Press Weekly

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2012 October 24 - 30 [NUCLEAR CRISIS]

Armitage & Nye tell Japan to keep nuclear power generation

“We greatly appreciate the proposals made by Mr. Armitage and Mr. Nye. They are Japan’s true friends and we accept their proposals with sincerity,” said Japanese Foreign Minister Genba Koichi at a symposium held in Tokyo on October 26.

Seated in front of him were U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell, former Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage, professor at Harvard University Joseph S. Nye, and president and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) John J. Hamre.

The third Armitage-Nye Report released in August requests that Japan maintain and promote nuclear energy, facilitate its entry into the TPP agreement, continue participating in sea-lane defense, and review the ban on the use of the right to collective self-defense.

During the symposium, Nye said that Japan’s “zero”-nuclear policy is unacceptable. Armitage said that it is important for Japan to reinterpret the Constitution in terms of the right to collective self-defense. Campbell put his hopes on Japan’s entry into the TPP pact as it has the potential to overhaul trade relations in the region.

In response to their comments, Foreign Minister Genba expressed Japan’s commitment to realize their demands and aspirations.

Also speaking at the symposium, Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party Ishiba Shigeru strongly sided with the U.S. heavyweights by saying that he will make every possible effort to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance and enable Japan to have the ability to exercise its right to collective self-defense. He even mentioned the creation of a Japanese version of a marine force.

The symposium showed how far the two major parties are distanced from public opinion.