Nepal-Japan security cooperation is long overdue

January 19, 2005
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By Jan Sharma

Japan is Nepal’s biggest donor, contributing significantly to modernize the largely agrarian economy. The ties at the political level have always been excellent, with both sides speaking highly of the bonds that bind the two monarchies.

Yet, when it comes to national security, especially at a time when Nepal faces unprecedented threat, Japan’s role is smaller than pigmy. The support has mainly come from the United States, Britain and India.

Ironically, India happens to be the source of arms supplies to both the government and anti-government forces.

Japan’s official comment on the security situation never gets the same publicity as those of the troika. This does not mean that Tokyo does not care for what is happening in Nepal, as is the popular impression.

The last Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement on Nepal situation was in August 2003, when the Maoists withdrew from the talks. Tokyo requested the Maoists “to continue to comply with the ceasefire agreement and to resume the peace talks.”

It also called for “all the groups concerned to cooperate closely with each other for the sake of the welfare of the people of Nepal, with a view to achieving a peaceful resolution based upon the principles of democracy.”

Chief of Army Staff General Pyar Jung Thapa visited Tokyo in October to take part in the seventh chiefs of defense conference held under the joint auspices of the Japanese Self Defense Forces, Joint Staff Council and the U. S. Pacific Command.

There was no official announcement on General Thapa’s bilateral discussions with the Japanese security leaders except his courtesy calls. This should have been an opportunity to open the prospects of Nepal-Japan security cooperation.

A report published in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said Japan is preparing her troops “to cope with terrorist attacks and other new threats” as part of Japan’s new defense policy guidelines to meet the new challenges.

Japan is also seeking a greater role in the world affairs. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, whose popularity has been surging recently, is seeking an amendment to the U. S.-imposed constitution to allow it to have military rather than SDFs.

The amendment will also allow Japan to have a full fledged Ministry of Defense headed by a Defense Minister instead of the so-called Defense Agency headed by a director general. Japanese troops are the world’s best funded and competent.

Like Nepal, Japan has played significant peacekeeping role in many troubled hotspots. In a historic breakthrough, SDF minesweepers were deployed in Iraq after Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. It has 1,000 troops in Iraq and Kuwait helping reconstruction efforts.

In the wake of the deadly Indian Ocean tsunamis, Japan provided a correct, quick, decisive and large relief to the victims and pledged to rebuild the shattered nations around the Indian Ocean. Tokyo pledged US$500 million in grants for relief works.

Prime Minister Koizumi pledged to lend expertise on tsunamis to set up a system to predict massive waves in the Indian Ocean of the type that were so devastating on December 26, killing over 160,000 and leaving behind a trail of destruction.

In a significant move, Tokyo has also deployed 1,000 defense personnel to the disaster zone in Indonesia in what would be Japan’s largest military missions abroad since 1945. Indonesia suffered the worst.

Japanese military personnel are already working in Thailand, where a local headquarters have been set up to oversee the operations and coordinate relief efforts with the United Nations and the U. S.

Nepal should seize this opportunity to foster security cooperation with Japan, which has the world’s best funded and maintained military and is bound to play a much more active military role in world affairs, including in South Asia.

Since a weak Nepal is a liability for her immediate neighbors, China modernizing what is world’s largest standing army will not oppose Nepal-Japan security cooperation.

China’s decision to transform its 2.5 million-strong military “from a manpower-intensive one to a technology-intensive one” is largely inspired by the new changes “in the balance of power among the major international players.”

A key consideration is also Japan’s moves to give its military a broader mandate and develop, jointly with the US, missile defense system by 2007, a decision inspired by North Korea’s shocking firing of a long range Taepodong-1 missile over Japan.

Security cooperation with Japan would further enhance Nepal’s security capabilities. Such a cooperation to be effective will require a political leadership that is patriotic and committed to the welfare of Nepal and the Nepalis.