Ambassador urges change

The message of change exalted by President Barack Obama can benefit foreign as well as domestic relations, former Japanese ambassador Akio Kawato said Thursday.

Kawato, the current chief research fellow at the Tokyo Institute, spoke to a conference room of 20 Massachusetts Institute of Technology students on Thursday afternoon regarding his views on the new relationship Japan and the U.S. could have now that Obama is president.

‘We need each other equally, even though the American administration is not completely content with Japan,’ Kawota said. ‘They are slightly irritated with us [Japan].

‘Although this is the case, the alliance is still and will be needed. Asia is too important in trade and politics for the U.S. to lose its presence in Asia.’

Since Asia is widely known as the base for global technology and’ business, Kawota said he strongly urges the U.S. to appreciate Japan more for both military and political reasons.

‘I can say that as China becomes stronger, the U.S. will need Japan more, in order to counterbalance China,’ he said.’ ‘Also, our [Japan’s] bases are quite important and very essential to the U.S.’

‘ Kawato said he feels the new relationship will thrive more if the U.S. is open to aid from Japan.

‘Japan’s government always fails, so U.S. discredits Japan’s bureaucrats too much,’ he said. ‘American government will be able to find a stable partner in Japan. Our scholars are getting better and better.’

‘ ‘I agree with this problem. It may be an obvious one, but it is something that needs to be done,’ Mi Yuki Fujita, a MIT undergrad student said. ‘No more experimenting and testing weapons. I think Japan is exemplary in being not belligerent.’

Kawato also said there should be a nuclear deterrence in the face of the threats several countries are facing.

‘In Japan, pacifism is very strong,so no one wants to fight,’ Kawato said. ‘Peace is strong here.’

‘ With the adamant views on the value and importance of Japan and U.S. alliance, Kawota said in closing that the alliance should continue, but have some changes made to it.

‘The U.S. should resort their focus on balancing power,’ he said. ‘We need a fail-safe mechanism so we can jointly create a balance of power in Asia.”