CONTENTS
1. US Domestic Views of “Axis of Evil”
2. PRC Bible Smuggler
3. PRC View of CIA Chief’s Comment
4. Cross-Straits Relations
5. DPRK-US Diplomatic Relations
6. DPRK Refugees UN Aid
7. Russia’s View of US Anti-terrorism
II. Japan 1. Japanese Security Legislation
2. Japanese New Foreign Minister
3. Japanese Logistical Support for US
4. Japan Domestic Politics
5. Overseas A-Bomb Victims
I. United States
1. US Domestic Views of “Axis of Evil”
The Associated Press (Leigh Strope, “TOUGH TALK AGAINST ‘AXIS’; SOME WANT QUICK ACTION AT LEAST AGAINST IRAQ,” Washington, 02/11/02) reported that some US lawmakers are calling for quick action to get rid of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein. Democratic Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut declared that Saddam should be removed, and soon. Lieberman stated, “He is a time bomb.” Democratic Senator Bob Graham of Florida and Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, agreed, saying that Saddam was an “evil force.” “He should be taken out at some point,” Graham said. “My question is, is this the time to do it? Shouldn’t we be focusing on completing the war on terrorism?” Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, offered caution and questioned Bush’s rhetoric. “I think we are better off, as Teddy Roosevelt once said, to speak softly and carry a big stick. We carry a big stick, there’s no question about that,” Hagel said. Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, sees confrontation with Iraq as all but inevitable. “These are strong signals of things to come, if these people don’t shape up,” he said. “I think, ultimately, we’ll be confronted with these people, probably in some kind of war.”
2. PRC Bible Smuggler
The Associated Press (Verna Yu, “BIBLE SMUGGLER RETURNS TO HONG KONG,” Hong Kong, 02/09/02) and Reuters (John Ruwitch and Mishi Saran, “BIBLE SMUGGLER RELEASED, THANKS CHINA AND U.S.,” Hong Kong, 02/10/02) reported that a PRC court released Li Guangqiang, a Hong Kong businessman sentenced to two years in prison for smuggling bibles, Saturday on medical grounds. The court in the coastal province of Fujian d cided Li could serve his sentence outside prison under surveillance because he was suffering from hepatitis B, the official Xinhua news agency said. Li thanked the PRC government for releasing him before the Chinese New Year holiday. Li also thanked US President Bush and his administration for their role, as well as the Hong Kong government and citizens. “I feel very relaxed now, but my body needs medical attention,” Li said. Li, 38, and mainlanders Yu Zhudi and Lin Xifu were indicted in early January for “using an evil cult to damage a law-based society” after they were caught transporting 16,000 Bibles to the “Shouters,” an underground Christian group that Beijing banned in 1983. A US embassy spokesperson said the US was pleased with reports that Li was in Hong Kong. “We have been seeking Li’s release and welcome the news that he is in Hong Kong where he can get necessary medical attention,” the spokesperson said. “The Chinese government is well aware of the president’s personal interest in this case.”e
3. PRC View of CIA Chief’s Comment
Reuters (“CHINA BLASTS CIA CHIEF’S COMMENT AS ‘UNACCEPTABLE,'” Beijing, 02/10/02) and Agence France-Presse (“CHINA VENTS ANGER AT US THREAT LABEL,” Beijing, 02/09/02) reported that the PRC reacted angrily to US Central Intelligence Agency chief George Tenet including it in a list of global threats to the US, calling the description “unreasonable, irresponsible and unacceptable.” PRC Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kong Quan called on the US to work harder on building friendly relations with Beijing. Kong also expressed, “An improvement in bilateral relations would be in the interest of both nations, but it does require effort from both sides.”
4. Cross-Straits Relations
Reuters (“CHINA TO PUSH FOR TAIWAN DIALOGUE IN NEW LUNAR YEAR,” Beijing, 02/11/02) and Agence France-Presse (“CHINESE LEADER PLEDGES RETURN OF TAIWAN IN NEW YEAR SPEECH,” 02/11/02reported that PRC Premier Zhu Rongji said on Monday that the PRC would push to resume dialogue with Taiwan in the Year of the Horse, while trying to raise incomes and crack down on corruption. Zhu stated, ” We are resolutely opposed to any attempt to separate Taiwan from our motherland. We will persist in promoting the resumption of cross-Straits dialogue and negotiations on the basis of ‘one China’ and promote the development of cross-Straits relations.” Zhu, Jiang, and other leaders are expected to retire from their positions in the Communist Party’s Politburo Standing Committee at a Party congress later this year.
5. DPRK-US Diplomatic Relations
The New York Times (Michael R. Gordon, “NORTH KOREA CANCELS TRIP BY 4 EXPERTS FROM THE U.S.,” Washington, 02/09/02), the Associated Press (Vanessa Palo, “N. KOREA TELLS US ENVOYS NOT TO COME,” Washington, 02/09/02) reported that the DPRK has called off a visit by a group of former US ambassadors. The trip had been arranged as a way to expand informal dialogue between the US and the DPRK. However, DPRK officials told the ex-diplomats on Friday not to come. The delegates, which included, Donald Gregg from the first Bush administration, Richard Walker from the Reagan dministration and Stephen Bosworth from the Clinton administration had planned to meet senior DPRK officials later this month. They attributed the cancellation to President Bush’s criticism of the DPRK in his State of the Union speech. “They probably found it very offensive,” said William H. Gleysteen, envoy to ROK during the Carter administration. “I’m sure it happened because of the State of the Union address,” said Robert A. Scalapino, professor emeritus at the University of California. “The use of incendiary language is not fruitful,” he said. Scalapino helped organize the trip and planned to go himself. Delegates said no reason was specified for the cancellation, which was conveyed through the DPRK’s mission at the United Nations. Other former ambassadors in the delegation were
6. DPRK Refugees UN Aid
The New York Times (James Brooke, “BUSH URGED TO PRESS CHINA ON PROVIDING RELIEF FOR REFUGEES SECRETLY FLEEING NORTH KOREA,” Tokyo, 02/11/02), the Associated Press (Hans Greimel, “UN AID URGED FOR N. KOREA REFUGEES,” Tokyo, 02/10/02) and the Associated Press (Hans Greimel, “ACTIVISTS WORRY ABOUT NORTH KOREA,” Tokyo, 02/09/02) reported that on the final day of an international conference on human rights in DPRK, UN delegates expressed the opinion that the UN should spearhead relief efforts for DPRK refugees in the PRC and Russia. Jack Rendler, vice chairman of the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in the DPRK stated, “Along the border with China, tens of thousands of North Korean refugees live in hunger and in fear of forced return. The Tokyo conference, which drew dozens of activists from eight countries, came ahead of a regional visit by US President Bush, who is expected to discuss DPRK relations with leaders of Japan and the ROK.
7. Russia’s View of US Anti-terrorism
The Wall Street Jornal (Karen Elliott House and Andrew Higgins, ” “PUTIN SAYS BUSH SHOULDN’T GO IT ALONE WHEN DECIDING HOW TO DEAL WITH IRAQ,” Moscow, 02/11/02) and the Associated Press (“PUTIN URGES U.S.: DON’T ATTACK IRAQ,” Moscow, 02/11/02) reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin warned against US military action against Iraq, saying that the situation in the Persian Gulf nation was different from Afghanistan and that only the UN Security Council could sanction any attack. Putin objected to US President Bush’s inclusion of Iraq, Iran and the DPRK in what Bush called an “axis of evil” in his State of the Union speech. Putin expressed, “We oppose the drawing up of black lists.” Putin did admit that Iraq presented a “problem,” but said, “Such problems cannot be solved by one country alone.”
II. Japan
1. Japanese Security Legislation
The Asahi Shimbun (“UNIFIED LAW ON MILITARY ON TABLE,” Tokyo, 02/07/02) reported that the Japanese government and the ruling coalition parties agreed last Tuesday to roll planned legislation on military emergencies into one comprehensive law that sets out a basic philosophy as well as the details of how to deal with such emergencies. Not included in the proposed law, however, are provisions stipulating how to deal with large-scale acts of terrorism, incursions by unidentified armed vessels, armed intelligence agents and cyber terrorism. The government and the coalition parties agreed to discuss these issues separately and deal with them in other legislation. The comprehensive legislation will also not deal with the protection of residents, the control of radio frequencies or treatment of prisoners of war in emergencies. Because it is not immediately clear under what jurisdiction each of these areas falls, the government does not plan to submit the relevant bills until next Diet session, at the earliest. At the centre of the comprehensive legislation will be a general provision laying out basic policy on how to tackle military emergencies, the responsibility of the state, policy- making procedure and the relation between the central and local government. The law will also include a specific provision on the observance of international humanitarian law.
2. Japanese New Foreign Minister
The Asahi Shimbun (“CHOOSING TAKEUCHI WAS ALL ABOUT COMPROMISE,” Tokyo, 02/09/02) reported that Japanese new Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi appointed Yukio Takeuchi, the ambassador to Indonesia, as her vice foreign minister.
3. Japanese Logistical Support for US
The Asahi Shimbun (“2ND SDF MISSION DUE IN INDIAN OCEAN, Tokyo, 02/09/02) reported that three Self-Defense Forces (SDF) vessels will dispatched to the Indian Ocean this week to help provide logistical support to the US-led military forces there. Another vessel may join the second fleet in March, extending the term of the ongoing mission due to end March 31 until mid-May, agency sources said.
4. Japan Domestic Politics
The Japan Times (“THE FIRST WESTERN MEMBER OF THE DIET,” 02/09/2002) reported the new Diet member. Marutei Tsurunen, the first Westerner to become a Diet member, made his House of Councilors debut Friday to a warm welcome from his fellow lawmakers in the Democratic Party of Japan. Tsurunen, 61, a naturalized Japanese citizen born in Finland, replaced former TV celebrity Kyosen Ohashi, who resigned last month. He was the runner-up on the DPJ’s list of proportional representation candidates in the July Upper House election. Aside from his strong environmental views, Tsurunen voiced determination to do his utmost to improve the conditions of non-Japanese residents. Tsurunen campaigned unsuccessfully for a Diet seat on four previous occasions.
5. Overseas A-Bomb Victims
Kyodo (“HIBAKUSHA APPLICATION FILED FOR AMERICAN,” Hiroshima, 02/07/02) reported that the family of a young US soldier who was killed during the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima submitted an application to the Hiroshima City Government to have him included in the list of bomb victims, a Japanese researcher said. Shigeaki Mori, a 64-year-old history researcher in Hiroshima, said he received the application from the family members of Norman Brissette, who was a 19-year-old petty officer third class in the US Navy. The family lives in Massachusetts. According to Mori, Brissette was captured by the Imperial Japanese Army on July 28, 1945, after his plane was shot down during an attack on a Japanese cruiser in waters off Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture. And he was exposed to radiation from the blast on August 6, 1945, while being detained at a military police headquarters located about 400 meters from ground zero. He died 13 days later.
The Asahi Shimbun (“HIBAKUSHA TRIAL FLAK,” Osaka, 02/07/02) reported that the Osaka High Court has drawn harsh criticism last week with its move to hastily conclude a trial in which an ROK A-bomb survivor is demanding that other survivors abroad receive benefits under the Atomic Bomb Victims Relief Law. Kwak Kwi Hoon, 77, said he and his lawyers wanted to summon more witnesses, including a former health ministry official. Presiding Judge Makoto Nemoto rejected the request last Tuesday and moved to end the trial. Kwak’s side criticized the court’s decision and Yasuhisa Nagashima, one of Kwak’s lawyers, filed an appeal with the court to remove Nemoto from the case on the grounds that he coercively tried to conclude the trial and that his handling may lead to a partial ruling.
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