May 18, 2005
Upon the release of a foreign affairs and security vision for Japan
Dear Friends
First of all, I would like to express my appreciation for your always kind and informed interest in my political activities, as well as those of the Democratic Party of Japan.
I have brought together a foreign affairs and security vision for Japan during the next decade, entitled "Toward Realization of Enlightened National Interest". This vision was created with the input of various experts and I intend that it will serve as a basis for future discussion.
I shall refrain from discussing the details of the vision here, but to summarize, it calls for the pursuit of "enlightened national interest": in other words what could be described as a "positive-sum" national interest, aiming to share benefits with other nations while working for the common good of global society. The three pillars of the vision are as follows: to develop a peaceful and prosperous Asia, to evolve the Japan-U.S. relationship and to contribute to world peace and stability. In the document I also point out that to realize these aims we need to revamp our all-round diplomatic capability, as well as to possess humility based on self-confidence.
During the recent Golden Week holidays I visited the Middle East and Africa. These regions are facing the fundamental problem of terrorism, as well as humanitarian issues such as famine and poverty. The international community must make efforts to resolve such difficult challenges a priority. My firsthand experiences have convinced me that it is essential to be proactively involved while raising individual awareness among the Japanese people. I intend to engage in more detailed discussions, which will also include matters, such as relations with Europe, not touched upon in the present document.
Respectfully yours,
Katsuya Okada
President, The Democratic Party of Japan
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