Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� November, 2002

Prime Minister Receives a Report of the Task Force on Foreign Relations Thursday, November 28, 2002 Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was handed a report entitled "Basic Strategies for Japan's Foreign Policy in the 21st Century" compiled by the Task Force on Foreign Relations from Task Force Chairman Yukio Okamoto at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. The Task Force on Foreign Relations was established in September 2001 with Special Adviser to the Cabinet Secretariat Okamoto serving as Chairman and the objective of providing the Prime Minister with advice on foreign relations. The Task Force has considered modalities for Japan's foreign relations from a long-term perspective. The report analyzes the current international situation as being in the midst of great transformations encompassing (1) the globalization of economy and society, (2) the remarkable advancement and increasing power of military forces and (3) the rapid expansion of the Chinese economy. Moreover, the Report underscores the need to compile a foreign relations strategy based on the true "national interest." In the Report, the perspective on the true "national interest" is defined as (1) maintaining the peace and security of Japan, (2) supporting the free trade system, (3) protecting freedom, democracy and human rights, and (4) actively promoting people-to-people exchange and development of human resources. In addition, the Report proposes that, based on these, a Foreign Policy and Security Strategy Council (provisional name) composed of experts be established within the Cabinet Secretariat in order to consider foreign policy from a medium and long-term perspective.