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I. United States1. US-Russia Nuclear Relations Reuters (Charles Aldinger, "U.S. AND RUSSIAN OFFICIALS DISCUSS DEEP NUCLEAR CUTS," Washington, 01/16/02) and the Associated Press (Barry Schweid, "Russian Delegation Opens Talks in D.C." Washington, 01/15/02) reported that US and Russian defense officials began on Tuesday a two- day planning meeting on joint nuclear arms cuts, with a spotlight on US plans to store -- not destroy -- many of its thousands of warheads. US Undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith met privately with Russia's first deputy chief of staff, Colonel General Yuri Baluyevsky, but no details of the initial round of planning are expected before they are completed late on Wednesday. Russia is expected to repeat objections to US storage of perhaps hundreds of strategic warheads now on missiles and bombs. 2. Russia Missile Developments The Associated Press ("RUSSIAN DEFENSE TO GET NEW MISSILE," Moscow, 01/15/02) reported that a new Russian missile, the S-400 Triumph, can target stealth aircraft and intermediate-range ballistic missiles and will be ready for operation late this year or in early 2003. An unidentified spokesperson for the air defense troops stated that tests of the new air defense missile will take place soon, but did not say how many missiles would be deployed or where. Russian military observers have said it can hit targets up to 250 miles away and engage stealth aircraft. The latest versions of its predecessor, the S-300, have a range of 124 miles. While the S-300 can shoot down short-range missiles, the S-400 can engage intermediate range ballistic missiles that have a range of 2,170 miles. The Interfax-Military News Agency also reported that the Russian military plans to upgrade the existing S- 300 missiles to the higher S-300 PMU2 Favorite standard. Russia's air defense troops will receive new radars in Russia's far north, northeast, central Siberia and the Far East, the report said. 3. PRC-US Relations Reuters (Carol Giacomo, "US EAGER TO KNOW MORE ABOUT FUTURE CHINA LEADER," 01/15/02) reported that as the PRC prepares to name a new generation of leaders, the lack of US contact with heir apparent Hu Jintao is causing discomfort among officials and experts. The 59-year- old Hu, the favorite to succeed President Jiang Zeming, is little known among western PRC-watchers. The Bush administration would like to invite Hu to visit Washington but so far the PRC has not encouraged this. Hu, who is on the Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee and heads the central think tank and training school for party members, made what is believed to be his first trip to Europe several months ago, traveling to France, Britain, Germany and Russia. He has not ventured onto US shores since his youth in the early 1980s. 4. PRC-India Relations Reuters (Jayashree Lengade, "CHINA'S ZHU ARRIVES IN BOMBAY TO FURTHER TRADE TIES," Bombay, 01/15/02) and Agence France-Presse ("INDIA, CHINA PLEDGE TO FIGHT TERRORISM, BOOST TWO-WAY TRADE," 01/15/02) reported that the PRC and India called for a new era of understanding during the highest-level PRC visit to India in a decade. PRC Prime Minister Zhu Rongji and his Indian counterpart Atal Behari Vajpayee sought to put their countries' longstanding border dispute on the back-burner. For the first time, both sides agreed to collaborate in space research, exchange scientific and technical experts, bolster bilateral tourism and start direct flights between the Beijing and New Delhi. Zhu stated, "China has never viewed India as a threat, nor do we believe that India will regard China a threat. There should be only one future for China- India relations -- coexistence, in harmony and friendship from generation to generation. As the two largest developing countries in the world, China and India have on their shoulders important responsibilities for maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in Asia." India's foreign ministry spokeswoman Nirupama Rao commented, that the talks between Zhu and Vajpayee "provided a roadmap for the consolidation and expansion and deepening of relations in a number of spheres." Rao also stated, "What this constitutes is a higher level of mutual confidence ...and increased trust. So the outlook is promising for the further development of relations." 5. Cross-Straits Relations The Associated Press ("CHINA WARNS TAIWAN ABOUT PASSPORTS," Beijing, 01/15/02) and Reuters ("China steps up criticism of Taiwanese passport move," Beijing, 01/15/02) reported that the PRC warned Taiwan on Tuesday against using a decision to print "Taiwan" on its passports as a step toward formal independence from the PRC. However, PRC Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sun Yuxi did not explicitly say that the PRC objected to the addition of "Issued in Taiwan" to passport covers. Nor did Sun express the outrage that many in Taiwan had feared. Sun stated, "This attempt, should it develop in the direction of Taiwan's independence, is doomed to failure. Any attempt to separate Taiwan from the Chinese motherland, in any form, will be strongly objected to by the whole Chinese people." 6. DPRK-US Relations Reuters (Elaine Monaghan, "NORTH KOREA FAILS TO RESPOND TO U.S. PROPOSAL FOR TALKS," Washington, 01/15/02) reported that the US envoy for the DPRK met the country's new UN representative in New York last week but the contact brought no response to a long-standing US invitation back to talks aimed at ending the DPRK's missile program. 7. Japan's Role in Afghanistan Reconstruction Reuters (Linda Sieg, "JAPAN CONSIDERING $500 MILLION IN AID FOR AFGHANISTAN," Tokyo, 01/15/02) reported that Japan may pledge as much as $500 million over the next 2 1/2 years to rebuild Afghanistan when donors gather at a conference in Tokyo next week, although no final decision has been made. Japan, the US, Saudi Arabia and the European Union (EU) -- all co-chairs of the January 21-22 meeting -- are holding discussions to finalize the amounts they will pledge and the periods of time to be covered by those commitments. International donors are likely to decide on total aid of around $2.0 billion to $3.0 billion over the next 2 1/2 years. The cost of rebuilding Afghanistan has been estimated at $15 billion over 10 years in the base case scenario of a study by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and United Nations Development Programme. Some US officials have said that the US, having spent billions of dollars on the campaign to overthrow the Taliban, will take a less prominent role in the reconstructive program. Reuters ("U.N. CHIEF TO ATTEND TOKYO MEETING ON AFGHANISTAN," United Nations, 01/15/02) reported that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan will attend next week's Tokyo meeting of nations weighing pledges to help Afghanistan rebuild after more than two decades of war. Annan was considering going to India and Pakistan on the way back from Tokyo, but diplomats said that while Pakistan welcomed such a visit, New Delhi had not responded to the request and was expected to turn it down. 1. ROK's View of DPRK-US Relations The Korea Herald (Shin Yong-bae, "KIM URGES U.S. TO CHANGE N.K. POLICY," Seoul, 01/15/02) reported that President Kim Dae-jung Monday called for the US to change its policy on the DPRK to help resume bilateral talks. "I think the United States needs to allow North Korea to save face," Kim said. Kim said he would discuss these and other matters related DPRK relations when US President George W. Bush visits the ROK later next month. Though Bush and his aides have said they are ready to resume diplomatic negotiations with DPRK without preconditions, the DPRK has yet to respond. 2. F-X Project Developments Joongang Ilbo ("BIDS ARE SUBMITTED FOR F-X FIGHTER BUY," Seoul, 01/15/02) reported that the first round of final bidding to select the next generation of Korean Air Force fighters was held at the Defense Procurement Agency office on Monday. Four manufacturers: Boeing of the United States, Dassault of France, a European aerospace consortium and Rosvorgenia of Russia submitted bids for the fighter jet project estimated at 4.2 trillion won ($US3.2 billion). The government plans to buy 40 aircraft by 2008. "If the bids are too high, we can hold another round of bidding," a high-ranking source from the ministry said. The Defense Ministry said it would complete studies of the jets' cost and performance by February, and will announce the winner in March. 1. Japan-ROK Relations The Yomiuri Shinbun ("GOVT TO INK EXTRADITION PACT WITH S.KOREA," 01/13/02) reported that the Japanese government announced on January 12 that it will sign an extradition agreement with the ROK by the end of the year. The accord, only the second of its kind since a similar agreement was signed with the US in 1980, could be passed during the current regular Diet session, the sources said. According to the sources, the government decided to use the co-hosting of the 2002 World Cup finals by Japan and the ROK as an opportunity to strengthen judicial ties between the countries. 2. Korean Rights in Japan The Asahi Shinbun (Takeshi, Fujitani, "KOREANS STRIVE TO VOTE, BUT AT WHAT PRICE?" 01/11/02) reported that moves to give voting rights to permanent foreign residents are gaining steam and reaching the highest levels of government. However, the pro-DPRK General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryun) arguing that voting rights would accelerate the assimilation of Korean people into Japan. On the other hand, the pro-ROK Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan) insists that permanent foreign residents pay taxes, are part of Japanese society and should be given the right to vote. 3. Japan-ROK Relations The Asahi Shimbun ("'COMFORT WOMEN' FUND EXTENDS KOREANS' DEADLINE," Tokyo, 01/11/02) reported that a Japanese fund aimed at compensating wartime "comfort women" has indefinitely extended the deadline for applications from the ROK. The move comes after the Asian Women's Fund's project in the ROK stalled due to opposition from the government and the public. The fund said it would continue to try to find ways to compensate the women, through diplomatic channels, for example. The fund completed compensation projects in the Netherlands and the Philippines last summer. The deadline for applications from women in Taiwan is in May. According to the fund, 270 women in the four countries, including the ROK, have received compensation under the project. 4. Japan-ASEAN Relations The Yomiuri Shinbun (Yuuichi Suzuki, "INDONESIA'S REFUGEE PROBLEM," Jakarta, 01/13/02) reported that Japan's prime minister Junichiro Koizumi met with Indonesian president, Megawati Sukarnoputri on January 12 in Jakarta. In the meeting, president Megawati asked Koizumi to help resolve the issue of refugees from East Timor, framing the refugee problem as an Indonesian security issue. Koizumi responded favorably to president Megawati's request with the promise of $US10 million in financial aid. They also agreed the cooperation of terrorist measures and acts of the Piracy in the Strait of Malacca. The Daily Yomiuri ("KOIZUMI STRESSES ASEAN TIES," 01/15/02) and the Asahi Shinbun (Masakazu Higashino, "KOIZUMI EYES STRONGER ASEAN TIES," 01/15/02) reported that Japan's prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi called for closer economic and security ties between Japan and Southeast Asian Nations that would ultimately evolve into a new community linking other parts of East Asia. In a policy speech delivered in Singapore, Koizumi said relations between ASEAN and Japan should be boosted to new heights so they can serve as a pivot of regional cooperation. As the centerpiece of the plan, Koizumi proposed establishing an "Initiative for Japan-ASEAN Comprehensive Partnership" - a concept to expand relations from the traditional areas of trade and investment to such sectors as science and technology, human resource development and tourism. On the security front, Koizumi noted the change in the ways of thinking since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the US, adding that Japan planed to play a more active role in ensuring regional stability. However, Koizumi noted that the process of expanding cooperation from the Japan-ASEAN framework to a wider area would be far from easy. "Certainly, such an objective cannot achieved overnight," Koizumi said. "The first step is to make the best use of the framework of ASEAN plus three (Japan, the PRC, and the ROK), he said. Koizumi added through this cooperation, Japan, ASEAN, the PRC, the ROK, Australia and New Zealand would be the core member of such a community. 5. ROK-Japan, PRC-Japan Relations The Asahi Shimbun ("SDF CONTRIBUTION CAUSES CONCERN IN ASIA," Tokyo, 01/01/02) reported that according to a recent survey, Chinese and Koreans are anxious about Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) aiding the US-led anti-terrorism campaign in non-combat roles, and say they feel more distant from Japan than they did a year ago. The poll asked respondents about their reactions to Japan's role in the anti-terror campaign. 59% in Japan and 56% in the ROK "somewhat" to "strongly approved." While in the PRC only 36% "strongly" or "somewhat" approved. The poll also asked about people's reaction toward Japan's enacting of the anti-terrorism special measures law. 81% of PRC citizens polled responded negatively. On the other hand, 55% of ROK respondents gave negative replies. Asked whether they "feel anxious about Japan sending the SDF overseas in accordance with the new law," 61% of PRC respondents and 57% of ROK respondents said they felt anxious. 6. Japanese Security Law The Asahi Shimbun ("MILITARY EMERGENCY LEGISLATION BACK ON DIET'S AGENDA," Tokyo, 01/12-13/02) reported that the Diet may be ready to get down to specifics on legislating responses to military emergencies. But even with the recent incentives to advance the issue, no clear notion of what the legislation should cover has emerged. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said he was eager to work on such legislation when the Diet returns on January 21. One point not yet resolved is whether the legislation should be a basic law or more specific legislation that describes what related ministries are to do. Koizumi told a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) executive committee meeting on January 8 that consideration should be given for comprehensive measures to deal with a military emergency. Legislation written from that perspective could then be passed as it gains support, he said.
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