"I
have an impression of this year as
it being a Greek Year"
Interview with Prime Minister
of Japan Junichiro Koizumi
When
reading the email newsletters 'Lion
Heart - Message from Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi'as while following his activities
in the Press,we noticed the
direct and close contact of the Japanese Prime Minister
with the public. This is something we do not see often of
politicians, especially prime ministers. Because of this,
we took the courage to ask him for an interview. We thank
very much Mr Koizumi who answered our questions and furthermore
wrote a prologue related to Athens Olympic Games.
(July 2004. By Philippos Gkritziotis)
Prologue of the Prime
Minister of Japan
I have an impression of
this year as it being a 'Greek Year' having in mind the Olympic
Games, to be held in Athens, the victory of the Greek National
Team in the EURO 2004 Football Championship and so on.
I am also very glad to hear that the performance of "Oedipus
Rex", a Greek tragedy directed by Mr. Yukio Ninagawa
in Athens was a success.
Your country, in this commemorative year for the return of
the Olympic Games to their cradle after an interval of 108
years, has become the centre of interest of the Japanese people
and the entire world.
When I visited your country and had the honour to meet President
Mr. Stephanopoulos last year, I was so impressed by his explanation
on the ancient Olympic Games; for example, it was an olive
branch that was awarded to Olympic winners as a symbol of
honour; when winners returned home to their city-state, the
citizens would demolish part of their fortifications, in their
honour, a gesture which implied that they considered him strong
enough to protect them as would their fortified wall.
I think that
one of the most attractive events during the Olympic Games
is the Marathon race, a very popular sport in Japan as well.
It is also a fact that friendship between the Japanese people
who love the Marathon and the Greek people who live in the
birthplace of the Marathon has been strengthened through this
sport.
"I also hope
that the Games will be able to send a message of peace throughout
the world"
I honestly hope that as many athletes
and teams as possible from both countries will have the chance
to meet in the finals. I also hope that the Games will be able
to send a message of peace throughout the world.
As regards your questions, I am pleased
to answer some of them as follows;
Q. You
were in Greece a year ago on the occasion of the EU-Japan summit
meeting. Has there since been progress in our relations, in the
framework of the Japan-Greece action plan?
A. I co-signed with Prime Minister (at that time)
Mr. Simitis the “Japan-Greece Joint Action Plan” in 2002. This plan,
which sets forth concrete cooperation between Japan and Greece,
has steadily been carried out by both governments.
As far as international issues are concerned, we have close cooperation
and exchanges of ideas on the Balkan regional situation.
The cooperative relationship of our two countries is developing
on a number of global issues like combating terrorism. I think it
is worth underlining the fact that in the framework of the Special
Measures of Law against Terrorism, Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense
Force has close cooperation with Greece, such as refueling a Greek
frigate which was dispatched to the Indian Ocean for an International
operation against terrorism.
At the same time, I anticipate that closer relationship will be
established in the economic domain through the economic mission
from Greece to Japan.
There is already a good relationship in shipping. The Japanese pavilion
had the honour to receive Prime Minister Mr. Karamanlis during the
recent Posidonia International Shipping Exhibition which is organized
every two years in your country.
As for tourism, I expect that the “Greek Boom” which has just begun
to break out in Japan thanks to the Olympic Games will stimulate
all the more Japanese tourists to visit your country.
I also hope that more Japanese will be interested in your country
through the participation of Greece in the Aichi EXPO 2005 and on
that occasion many Greek people will visit Japan.
Q.Greece
is the most stable and developed country in the Balkans. Does Japan
take advantage of this Greek experience in the Balkans for the Japanese
investments in this area?
A. I
think the most important thing is that establishment of peace and
inter-regional cooperation should be promoted in order to invite
new investments to the Balkan region where people have been suffering
since the conflict in former Yugoslavia.
The Japanese government appreciates Greek initiatives to stabilize
the region and help towards economic development all the more since
it has great experience in the Balkans.
Japan co-organized with the EU “the Ministerial Conference on Peace
Consolidation and Economic Development of the Western Balkans” in
Tokyo this April. It was very fruitful thanks to the close cooperation
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece. I believe that there
still remains room for further cooperation on this matter.
Q. The
greatest event to constitute a bridge between our two countries
was the exhibition held in Tokyo National Museum and Hyogo Prefectural
Museum of Art last year, on Alexander the Great “East-West Cultural
Contacts from Greece to Japan”, a joint venture of Japanese and
Greek cultural agencies and organizations. Did you visit the exhibition
and do you think such major events are a necessity for both countries?
A careful study of both countries’ culture proves that have much
in common, besides their civilizations’ importance and their heritage,
traceable so far back. Do you believe there should be ceaseless
cooperation between them, not only on the tourist and folklore level,
but as deep understanding and mutual influence of our civilizations,
for a global beneficial contribution? (Greece-Japan.com: These two questions
were answered as one, because of the related subjects)
A. I regret to say that I
couldn’t go to see the exhibition on Alexander the Great and
East-West Cultural Contacts. However, I have heard that it
was a very interesting exhibition, which showed important
achievements of Alexander the Great, and whose theme was the
spread of Hellenism as far as Japan through the Silk Road.
We have already undertaken many cultural activities since
the beginning of this year abiding by the spirit of the “Japan-Greece
Joint Action Plan”, which aims at vitalizing interactive cultural
events between the two countries. Such events included the
Traditional Pottery Exhibition, the Japanese Traditional Music
Concert, and also the staging of Ninagawa’s Oedipus Rex, which
was performed in Athens at the invitation of Former Prime
Minister, Mr. Simitis. Japan will continue to present various
kinds of cultural events.
This year commemorates 100 years from the passing away of
Yakumo Koizumi (Lafcadio Hearn), a great writer who was born
in Greece. A series of memorial events will be held in his
birthplace, Lefkada Island.
On the other
hand, in Japan, the Greek Embassy will take initiatives to
organize a concert with Greek musicians, an Art exhibition
and Greek traditional dances.
"I
strongly believe that we
can establish much
closer friendship"
Japan and Greece have a long tradition
and respect for each culture. I strongly believe that we can
establish much closer friendship by having more active exchanges
in the future.
