In his first year in office, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi devoted most of his energy to promoting his economic-reform agenda. In doing so he demonstrated considerable leadership, supported by record public-approval ratings. In 2002, he faces an equally tough challenge on the diplomatic front. His current five-nation tour of Southeast Asia that began Wednesday will serve as the first test.
So far the prime minister has focused on relations with the United States, particularly since the post-Sept. 11 fight against terrorism began. That was only to be expected. But there is also a sense that his foreign policy has "tilted" too heavily toward the U.S. and lacks a broader perspective that reflects Japan's peace-oriented principles.
We live in a shrinking world, with national boundaries growing ever more porous, and people's lives becoming more and more affected by what happens outside their own countries. In this sense, the Koizumi reforms are an integral part of Japan's comprehensive efforts to promote regional and global stability and to build favorable relations with other nations. With his domestic programs getting down to brass tacks, it is important that the prime minister also deploy positive diplomacy along these lines.