Japan described the first ever reigning emperor Akihito’s India visit as ‘non-political’ and not aimed at ‘countering’ China. Being nominal head of state the emperor does not command any political power. But his visit to any country usually is very significant and symbolises peak level in bilateral relations.
Nevertheless, officials deny the political significance of the visit but at least Indian media news and views could take note of undercurrents. Strangely, Japanese media focused more on US Vice-president Joe Biden’s politically very significant Tokyo visit. Departing from protocol PM Manmohan Singh himself received the Emperor and his delegation at the airport.
On the recommendation of the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and his cabinet Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited India to boost all-round bilateral ties besides improving trade, nuclear and defence relations. India and Japan have corresponding views on many issues and Japan is involved in several infrastructural projects of great relevance to India’s economic transformation and both cooperate in sensitive and strategic domain including maritime security.
“India and Japan share a vision of promoting peace and stability in building a new Asia full of promise and opportunities”, President Pranab Mukherjee remarked. India-Japan partnership is based on the bedrock of shared values of democracy, the rule of law and individual rights. The President said India deeply values and attaches the highest importance to its close friendship with Japan which is based on a strong foundation of mutual respect and admiration.
If the visit was typically cultural and not political, then cultural and educational exchanges might obtain prime spot and see manifold increase on signing of MoUs between academic institutions and cultural bodies next month.
“Buddhism is a sacred link. India and Japan have had academic and scholarly exchanges since ancient times. Both countries are presently collaborating in the revival of the Nalanda University.” Bilateral relationship today goes much beyond as the two countries work for global partnership with converging strategic interests.”
India and Japan have pledged for an early resumption of negotiations for civil nuclear cooperation and hope for an early of conclusion agreement. Only months ago it was decided to expand the bilateral currency swap arrangement to $50 billion, talks on introducing high speed railway system in India, progressing Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor, talks relating to introducing high speed railway system in India, progress in defence and security cooperation even in maritime security and counter terrorism — all augur well in any expanding bilateral framework.
In 2012-13 India-Japan bilateral trade touched US$ 18.6 billion. Indian exports to Japan were at US$ 6 billion, and imports at US$12.5 billion. In effect, India’s exports and deficit were nearly equal. As of March 2013, cumulative commitment of ODA was Yen 3807 billion. Comprehensive economic partnership agreement is in force since August 2011 and covers such areas as trade in goods and services, investments, intellectual property rights, customs procedure. CEPA goal is to abolish tariffs over 94 per cent items bilaterally traded over a period of next ten years.
India has not officially commented on the rising tensions between China and Japan, where as China “viewed the visit and recently warming India-Japan ties would be favourable to regional stability.” Tensions are on the rise in the East Asian region since China declared last week a new Air Defence Identification zone. The brewing tensions may persist with US despatching two B-52 bombers to fly through without information to China. If Japan and China had managed successfully the territorial problems to the benefit of economic gains hitherto and mechanism collapsed all of a sudden then it is failure of diplomatic and crisis management instruments.
Unlike ASEAN, India is more than reasonably convinced that it need not get involved in East Asian regional tensions. In the backdrop of India’s own problems with China, avoidance of identification as a member in anti-China camp is the need of the day since an insecure China is not certainly in India’s future security interests.
The conflict threatens to accelerate Japan’s slow but sure military build-up. Japan considers that its military must be capable of countering any threat to its territorial integrity. Its navy already has one of the strongest fleets in the world, despite constitutional restrictions on military expenditure and capabilities.
The United States refrains from involvement in Japan’s territorial disputes though bound by the Japanese constitution to defend Japan and it hesitates to take position on the Senkaku/ Diaoyu islands claims. Last month, the US and Japan agreed to broaden their security alliance.
The US supports Japan’s attempts to strengthen its military, and its military ties in Asia, as a counterbalance to China’s own build-up. Japan has slowly been pushing the bounds of the constitutional limitations on its military for some years now, partly in a response to China’s increasing power and assertiveness in East Asia. Abe has already increased military budget for the first time in 11 years besides proposing to amend the Constitution to remove restrictions on the military but allows the military to come to the aid of United States forces if necessary.
The significance of the Japan-US alliance in countering China’s establishment of an air defence identification zone in the East China Sea encompassing the Senkaku Islands was emphasised early this week as Abe and Joe Biden met in Tokyo.The emerging geopolitical dynamics and evolving Indo-Pacific security architecture present good opportunity for India and Japan to broad base and diversify their relations and cooperate at complex regional and global issues. Japan and the US now realize they need each other more than ever to maintain peace and stability in Asia while countering a rising China. The Emperor’s visit gives an impetus to the attempts of two societies to engage in fresh initiatives and lift the relationship to higher parlance. As China plays down Emperor’s visit to India, and India keeps neutral position in tension of East Asia, there is more in store than diplomatic denials if scheduled India visit of PM Abe actualises next month and India buys US $ 15 billion worth of SU-2 seaplane and arms.
(H S Prabhakar teaches Japanese Studies at School of International Studies, JNU. Email: hsprabhakar@gmail.com)