‘Tokyo consensus’

Asian nations need to seek shared vision, ex-Japanese official says

China and Japan need to develop extensive nongovernmental exchanges for the sake of the future of Asia and the world, according to a forum.

China and Japan need to develop extensive nongovernmental exchanges for the sake of the future of Asia and the world, according to the “Tokyo consensus” issued by the 12th Beijing-Tokyo Forum on China Wednesday.and Japan need to develop Chinese extensiveand Japanese nongovernmental panelists at the exchangesforum concededfor the sake that of theirthe future countriesof Asia are dividedand the on world, many accordingissues andto agreedthe to “Tokyo work hard consensus”on building issued long-lastingby the trust12th between Beijingthe Tokyo nation’s Forum peoples.on Wednesday. The document called on Chinesethe two governmentsand Japaneseto appropriatelypanelists at the handle forum issues conceded and differencesthat their involving countries securityare divided and on the many military. issues It recommendedand agreed to workthat the hard two on countries building expedite long-lastingthe establishment trust between of thea “maritimenation’s peoples.and air liaison mechanism” in an attemptThe documentto enhance called mutual on trust,the two reduce governmentssuspicion andto avoid appropriately misjudgments. handle issues and Yao differencesYunzhu, former involvingdirector securityof the and Centerthe military.for ChinaIt America recommended Defense that Relationsthe twoat the countries Academy expediteof Military Sciencethe establishmentof the Chineseof a People’s “maritime Liberationand air Army, liaisonsaid Chinese mechanism” and Japanesein an defense attempt ministries to enhance have agreed mutual to set trust,up a reduce hotline suspicionand to defineand avoid the methods misjudgments.for contact and a code Yao of conduct Yunzhu, for encountersformer directorin the of air theor sea. Center for China-America Defense Relations at the Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, said Chinese and Japanese defense ministries have agreed to set up a hotline and to define the methods Telephone: for contact and a code of Fax: conduct for encounters in the air or sea.

“If the mechanism is Subscription: Advertising: established, it will, to some Follow extent, us preventon: military aircraft and warships from dangerous conditions when Website:they run into each other,” Yao said. “When contingencies

“If the mechanism is established, it will, to some extent, prevent military aircraft and warships from dangerous conditions when they run into each other,” Yao said. “When contingencies happen, misjudgments will be reduced to avoid unnecessary escalations.”

Yoriko Kawaguchi, Japan’s former foreign and environmental minister, proposed that countries in Asia search for something that can bind them together, as Buddhism did in the past.

“We need to think about what vision we may share,” said Kawaguchi, now a professor of Asia-Pacific studies at the Meiji Institute for Global Affairs.

Cheng Yonghua, China’s ambassadorhappen, misjudgmentsto Japan, said willthe countriesbe reduced need to to avoid redefine unnecessarytheir perceptions escalations.”of each other. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Japan’s “Ultimately, former both foreign countriesand environmentalhave to realize that they minister,are in proposedan inseparablethat countries relationship,”in Asia Cheng searchsaid. for something that “Theycan bind should them abide together,by the as political Buddhism agreementsdid in theon beingpast. cooperative“We need partnersto think that about pose whatno threats vision to we each may other share,” and said support Kawaguchi,each other’s now peacefula professor development.of Asia-PacificIt is importantstudies at that the they Meiji should Institutefind out for a Globalway to Affairs.get along, which goes with Chengthe times Yonghua, and is China’sin the ambassadorinterests of the to two Japan, peoples.”said the countries need to redefine their perceptions of each other.

“Ultimately, both countries have to realize that they are in an inseparable relationship,” Cheng said.

“They should abide by the political agreements on being cooperative partners that pose no threats to each other CANADAand support each other’s peaceful development. It is important that they should find out a way to get along, which goes with the times and is in the interests of the two peoples.”