Philip John L.

Gargar BSTM 4

1. The contemporary foreign and economic policies of each country

The Contemporary Foreign and Economic Policies of Japan

The Contemporary Foreign Policies

The primary responsibility for the Japanese foreign policy, as determined by the 1947 constitution, is
exercised by the cabinet and subject to the overall supervision of the National Diet. The prime
minister is required to make periodic reports on foreign relations to the Diet, whose upper and
lower houses each have a foreign affairs committee. Each committee reports on its deliberations to
plenary sessions of the chamber to which it belongs. Special committees are formed occasionally to
consider special. Diet members have the right to raise pertinent policy questions officially termed
interpellations to the minister of foreign affairs and the prime minister. Treaties with foreign
countries require ratification by the Diet. As head of state, the emperor performs the ceremonial
function of receiving foreign envoys and attesting to foreign treaties ratified by the Diet.

Constitutionally the dominant figure in the political system, the prime minister has the final word in
major foreign policy decisions. The minister of foreign affairs, a senior member of the cabinet, acts
as the prime minister's chief adviser in matters of planning and implementation. The minister is
assisted by two vice ministers: one in charge of administration, who was at the apex of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs structure as its senior career official, and the other in charge of political liaison
with the Diet. Other key positions in the ministry include members of the ministry's Secretariat,
which has divisions handling consular, emigration, communications, and cultural exchange
functions, and the directors of the various regional and functional bureaus in the ministry.

The Economic Policies

Many of a Japan Economic Policy has been adopted by Bank of Japan in view of effects global
financial recession are having on its economy. These Japan Economic Policies had been adopted in
last phase of 2008. Tadao Noda, who is a board member with Bank of Japan, has reiterated that an
effective economic policy of Japan needs to be hit upon pretty quickly as Japanese economy is at
present in a very bad state.

In January 2009 exports went down at a rate of 45.7 percent compared to January 2008. This
resulted in an unprecedented amount of trade deficit. Output of factories in Japan has also gone
down in January 2009 by a record 10 percent. Rate of unemployment in Japan reached a record
figure in terms of last four years. This surely calls for an unfailing economic policy in Japan so that
present weaknesses can be weeded out.

In final quarter of 2008 gross domestic product of Japan went down at a rate of 12.7 percent for that
particular fiscal. An economic policy at Japan is presently a need of hour if domestic demand in
Japan is to be revived.
Economists have opined that consumer demand in domestic markets would be on wane as a result
of economic uncertainty. Exports of Japan, which are among its major sources of revenue, would be
on a downward curve as well since economies of other countries would be recovering from
aftereffects of global financial recession. As per economists, makers of Japan economic policies need
to look at after effects of imposing constraints on financing opportunities. As part of their Japan
economic policy major opposition parties in Japan are trying to introduce financial stimulus
packages that so that effects of recession could be allayed to a certain extent.

Democrats, major opposition party in Japan, have announced that they would be providing an
economic stimulus of $587.3 billion. This amount would be spent for a period of four years and
would be looking to spruce up Japan’s economy. At present every Japan economic policy is geared
towards addressing imbalances across various sectors of Japanese economy.

Sources:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_policy_of_Japan

https://www.economywatch.com/economic-policy/Japan.html#:~:text=An%20economic

2. The questions made based on the researched information and of Bloom's taxonomy

We all know that the primary responsibility for the Japanese foreign policy, as
determined by the 1947 constitution, is exercised by the cabinet and subject to
the overall supervision of the National Diet, can you see a possible solution to
cre developed a contemporary foreign policies?
ate
ate Do you think the dominant figure is constitutional in the politcal system? Why?
evaluate

Can you identify other significant events during the the prime minister's
analyze final word in major foreign policy decisions?

Using the information you have learned about the Contemporary Foreign
apply Policies and the Economic Policies of Japan, can you construct the view of the
effects on global financial recession on the economy?

understand How would you express these Japan Economic Policies that had been adopted in
last phase of 2008?

remember What is The Contemporary Foreign Policies and The Economic

The basic objectives of Japan's foreign policy in the international environment surrounding Japan as
reviewed on the investigations. Japan heavily depends on the international environment for its survival.
It has no other choice than to make persistent endeavors toward international harmony in order to
ensure its existence. Moreover, against the background of growing interdependence among nations
today, Japan is strengthening its ties with the international community in every aspect of human life. As
Japan's economic strength grows, its position in the international community has been strengthened
accordingly. This owes much to the wisdom and efforts of the Japanese people. Since the end of World
War II, Japan has consistently followed the path of a nation devoted to peace. While maintaining
national security by equipping itself with the necessary minimum self-defense force permissible under
the Japanese constitution, and by a firm commitment to maintaining the security arrangements with the
United States, Japan has endeavored to promote interchanges and cooperation with other countries. In
proportion to Japan's strengthened international position the expectation in the international
community is also mounting that Japan should play an active role and fulfill its responsibilities toward
world peace and prosperity, particularly for the stable expansion of the world economy.

Turning to recent developments in the international community, the 1970s have seen such moves as the
U.S.-China rapprochement which lead to the normalization of their diplomatic relations, the
normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China and the consequent development in
their cooperative relations, the termination of the Vietnam War and the ensuing events on the
Indochinese Peninsula, the moves of the ASEAN countries to cope with the Indochinese situation, and
disturbances in the Middle East and Africa. In the field of economics, a recession on a global scale set in,
triggered by the oil crisis. Consequently, protectionist pressure has increased, and the economic
difficulties of the developing nations have grown. Most recently, disputes and confrontations on the
Indochinese Peninsula have been intensified, the Indochinese refugee problem has grown serious, and
the international energy situation has become aggravated. Looking ahead to the coming 1980s, Japan
has to prepare for a more rigorous and complex international environment.

In today's world, political, economic and other activities are closely. intertwined with one another, and
interdependence and complementariness among nations have grown. Thus, it has become even clearer
that all nations cannot cope with the various problems they face in an effective manner, unless they
avoid confrontations and seek conciliation and cooperation based on mutual understanding. At this
juncture, Japan must, of its own accord, make positive contributions to the peace and prosperity of the
world through its economic strength and political influence. It is only by pursuing an active diplomacy in
a global perspective that Japan can find the way to ensure veritable peace and prosperity in the rigorous
international environment in the coming years.

With these views in mind Japan must endeavor to secure a favorable international environment which is
indispensable for national security and for the prosperous life of the people, while meeting the
expectations of the international community. The basic Japanese foreign policy objectives to be pursued
can be summarized as follows:
First of all, for the peace and stability of Asia and the world, Japan must play an active diplomatic role
and fulfill political responsibilities befitting its international position, thwarting the destabilizing
elements and promoting the stabilizing ones.

From this point of view, it is essential for Japan to keep making efforts to build an international
environment to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula in cooperation with the United States and other
nations concerned. In Indochinese affairs, Japan also must make positive efforts toward cooperation
with the ASEAN and other countries so that peace may be recovered in the region and relations of "live-
and-let-live" may be established between the ASEAN countries and the Indochinese countries. As
regards the problem of the Indochinese refugees that constitutes a destabilizing factor in the Asia-Pacific
region, Japan needs to make a positive contribution to the international efforts, including further step-
up of financial aid and admitting more refugee settlement in Japan. Furthermore, hoping the
achievement of stability, and especially the realization of a just and lasting comprehensive peace in the
Middle East, Japan must make what contribution it can on its own to help stabilize the people's lives in
the countries of this region.

The cornerstone of Japanese foreign policy is of course laid on its close relations of friendship and
cooperation with the United States including the security arrangements. Needless to say, it continues to
be a very important policy objective to make constant efforts to strengthen the relations of mutual trust
between Japan and the United States, to maintain and develop stable economic relations, and to further
develop the cooperative relations between these two countries in a global perspective. It has also
become increasingly important to promote close and wideranging cooperative relations with Western
European nations, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Moreover, Japan will make further efforts to
promote extensive and friendly relations with the Republic of Korea and Southeast Asian countries such
as the ASEAN countries and Burma, as well as to increase interchanges and deepen mutual
understanding with Southwest Asian countries. On the other hand, it is also important to promote
dialogues and to maintain stable relations with nations possessing different economic, social and
political systems, particularly to promote further friendly relations with such neighboring countries as
China and the Soviet Union, which play an important role in the international community. Furthermore,
Japan must take positive diplomatic actions to promote friendship, cooperation and dialogue with the
countries of the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

In addition to the above, it is important to promote arms control measures such as disarmament and
nuclear non-proliferation that will contribute to the stabilization of international relations. Japan, as a
nation devoted to peace, must contribute positively to international cooperation in this field.

Second, Japan must positively contribute to the international efforts to lead the world economy toward
stable expansion. It is through efforts in the economic field that Japan can make its greatest contribution
to the international community, and such efforts are inseparably related to those in the political field.

It is necessary for Japan to aim at managing its economy in such a way as to positively contribute to the
harmonious development of the world economy. To this end Japan must continue to pursue economic
management which gives priority to expansion of domestic demand, taking into account the necessity of
maintaining external balance. Japan also has to redouble its effort to further open up its market, to
rationalize its distribution system, and to promote improvement of its economic constitution so as to be
able to adjust itself to structural changes of the world economy.

At the same time, in cooperation with the United States and Western European nations that play key
and indispensable roles for a stable and prosperous world economy, Japan must continue to make
efforts to expel protectionism and maintain a free and open trading system. In this connection, it is of
vital importance for Japan to expedite domestic measures to implement the results of the Tokyo Round
of Multilateral Trade Negotiations as soon as possible.

Third, in view of the recent aggravation of the energy situation, Japan must contribute even more
positively to the international efforts to solve energy problems in cooperation with other countries
concerned through the International Energy Agency (IEA) and other opportunities.

It is necessary for Japan to try to save energy on the one hand, and to participate actively in the
international cooperation to solve long-term energy problems on the other. Such efforts will include
cooperation with the United States in research and development in energy and other related fields as
well as the development of alternate and new energy sources. It is particularly necessary that peaceful
utilization of atomic power, one of the most important forms of energy to replace petroleum, should be
promoted internationally in such a way as to avoid nuclear proliferation. It is desirable that Japan
positively contribute to the international efforts in this direction.

Fourth, Japan must play an active part in the international efforts to successfully solve the North-South
problem. It would be necessary for Japan, having close relations with developing countries, to take the
initiative in the efforts to bring about harmonious and cooperative relations between the North and the
South. In past years, too, Japan has been trying to increase official development aid to the developing
nations and strengthen preferential treatment in trade in their favor in order to assist their own efforts
for economic and social development. Still, Japan must further improve the official development aid
both in quantity and quality, as well as continue to promote various measures to encourage the exports
of the developing countries and stabilize their incomes, including those dealing with primary commodity
problems. Furthermore, Japan must strengthen cooperation with developing countries for their human
resources and agricultural development.

Diplomacy should be based on mutual trust among nations and peoples. As a basic groundwork to
achieve the above-mentioned four objectives, Japan must make a constant effort to promote mutual
understanding between its people and people of other nations. In this sense, Japan must make special
efforts to promote cultural exchanges with other countries, and through this, better understanding of
Japan on the part of other countries.