PARTY-TO-PARTY EXCHANGE IS OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO DEVELOPING STATE-TO-STATE RELATIONS IN A STABLE WAY:AN INTERVIEW WITH NATSUO YAMAGUCHI,HEAD OF JAPANESE NEW KOMEITO PARTY

CONTEMPORARY WORLD

Interviewer: Could you please tell us something about the position and role of the New Komeito Party in Japanese politics from a perspective of head of the Party? What serves as the political foundation of New Komeito and LDP coalition? What is the major appeal of the New Komeito in the coalition?

Natsuo Yamaguchi: The Party spirit of the New Komeito (NK) is “sharing a common fate with the people”,which was proposed on September 13 of 56 years ago (in 1962) by Mr. Ikeda Daisaku, founder of the NK and NK’s predecessor Komei Political Coalition as well as the third-generation president of the Japanese Gakkai Institute.This spirit shows the right attitude of a statesman. At that time, the LDP and the Socialist Party had been feuding with each other for a long time, and the Japanese people longed for a political party and politicians that represented the people’s voice in real term. The NK was born to that expectation. As a result, it has been the NK’s starting point to defend the laboring masses and to advance and retreat with them.Even when it has formed a coalition authority with the LDP now, the NK still maintains its original intention of being a political party working for people’s well-being and peace and for support by more people.

Interviewer: 2018 is the 40th anniversary of the signing of China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. We notice that recently both the ruling party and the government of Japan have released some positive signals for improving China-Japan relations. However, there are still some disagreement on a number of sensitive issues between China and Japan. What measures will the Japanese side take to promote the further improvement of China-Japan relations?What type of China-Japan relationship does Japan expect in the next 40 years?

Natsuo Yamaguchi: 2018 is the 40th anniversary of the signing of Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship as well as the 50th anniversary of the proposal of “normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China” made by Mr. Ikeda Daisaku. As the host country, Japan hopes the meeting among the Japanese, Chinese and ROK leaders could be convened as soon as possible. Japan also looks forward to the realization of high-level mutual visits including Prime Minister Abe’s visit to China and President Xi’s visit to Japan. These visits will surely help to consolidate the bilateral relations between the two countries. Even before becoming an official political party, the NK started its continuous exchanges with China and was devoted to the improvement and development of Japan-China relations. The NK will continue playing its significant political role and making unremitting efforts to improve the steady development of Japan-China relationship.

Looking into the next 40 years of Japan-China relations, I think the key is the constant consolidation of mutual trust, which will bring about big benefits not only for Japan and China, but also for the peace and stability of Asia and the world at large.

The picture shows Natsuo Yamaguchi, leader of Japan's New Komeito party.

Interviewer: At present, both China and Japan need to consolidate political mutual trust. Meanwhile, both sides should strengthen mutual understanding and trust between Chinese and Japanese people, so as to continuously enhance the public opinion foundation of China-Japan relationship. In your opinion, how could we solve the lack of mutual understanding and trust between Chinese and Japanese people?What efforts should both sides make in this regard?

Natsuo Yamaguchi: In order to build mutual trust, Japan and China must start from mutual understanding. It is of great significance for both countries to carry out exchanges in all fields and at all levels, particularly among young people. The NK is also enthusiastically pushing its young parliamentarians to have exchanges with China.

Long time ago, a friend who had been long engaging in exchanges with China told me that the secret of friendship is not to do anything that is troublesome to the other side. In my opinion,it is because Japan and China are close neighbors that we come across various problems. Therefore, while properly handling different problems between our two countries, we should facilitate exchanges and cooperation in all fields so as to promote the further improvement and development of bilateral relations with a focus on the overall situation, which is of crucial importance.

I believe that so long as both sides abide by the important principle and spirit of the four political documents signed between Japan and China and are devoted to non-violation to each other, no interference to each other’s internal affairs and seeking no hegemony, a lasting and stable development of Japan-China relationship will be achieved undoubtedly.

Interviewer: The NK General Secretary Yoshihisa Inoue led a delegation to attend the seventh meeting of China-Japan Ruling Party Exchange Mechanism convened in Xiamen and Fuzhou of Fujian Province from 25th to 26th of December 2017. According to youropinion, what kind of role has party-toparty exchanges played in advancing the improvement of China-Japan relationship? What expectations and advices do you have for the deepening of China-Japan ruling party exchange mechanism?

Natsuo Yamaguchi: I deeply feel that Japan-China party-to-party exchanges have made enormous contribution to the stable development of the stateto-state relations. Different kinds of problems usually exist in governmental relations. Party-to-party relations build an important platform for bilateral relations when governmental exchanges encounter obstacles. I led a NK delegation to visit China in January 2013, during which I had a very straight-out and in-depth conversation with Secretary-General Xi Jinping. Not long before that,Japan just had a regime change, and our two countries had serious disputes over the Diaoyu Islands. While the intergovernmental dialogue suffered from stagnation, the NK and CPC realized dialogue through party-to-party channel,and I believe this dialogue as of great significance.

The seventh meeting of Japan-China ruling party exchange mechanism convened at the end of last year was the conclusive event commemorating the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations. Meanwhile, it served as the opening of the 40th anniversary of the signatory of Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Therefore, this meeting was of important and far-reaching significance. The meeting issued a joint proposal with rich content,according to which both sides would make joint efforts to build Fujian into an international exemplary zone for“Belt and Road” cooperation, strengthen the exchanges of young political leaders between the two ruling parties, as well as enhancing exchanges and cooperation of medium-and-small-sized enterprises between the two countries and so on so forth. The ruling parties of both sides will hold the eighth meeting of the mechanism in Japan this year, and I look forward to even bigger contribution made by the meeting for the stable development of the relations between the two countries.

This year is very significant to Japan-China relations. The NK will send a delegation to visit China at an appropriate time for a good opening of the“next 40 years” of Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

Interviewer: The CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting was held in Beijing at the end of 2017. Secretary-General Xi Jinping attended the meeting and delivered a keynote speech. In his speech,Xi proposed to develop a new model of party-to-party relations, in which political parties seek common grounds while shelving differences, respect and learn from one another. He called for the institutionalization of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting for the advancement of building a community of shared future for mankind. We know that you also led a delegation to this meeting. How do you evaluate the meeting and in particular the keynote speech by Secretary-General Xi Jinping?

Natsuo Yamaguchi: It was a great honor to be invited to the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting at the end of last year, and I was deeply moved by the grand gathering of the leaders of nearly 300 political parties from over 120 countries. The Chinese side named this event a “Dialogue” among political parties instead of different governments, during which the CPC exchanged views not only with ruling parties of various countries, but also with parties out of power. That gave me a very deep impression of China’s open-mindedness. This Dialogue serves as a very unique platform for exchanging ideas. I do look forward to the institutionalization of the Dialogue.

During the CPC’s 19th National Congress as well as the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties last year,China has displayed a blueprint for development until the middle of the century. China’s peaceful development will bring about enormous benefits not only for Japan, but also for the region as well as entire international community. It is my heartfelt wish that the CPC will make even greater achievements and play an even more significant constructive role in international community.

In his keynote speech, President Xi Jinping reiterated that China is ready to join hands with all countries of the world to advance the building of a community of shared future for mankind.That shows China’s positive gesture of being committed to work together with other countries in tackling common problems faced by mankind. The NK adheres to people-oriented approach,and advocates the utmost respect for“l(fā)ife, living and existence”, which is in common with what President Xi advocates. Having always been devoting to implementing this concept, the NK has scored great achievements, and as a result has been hailed by the Japanese people as a political party for peace and people’s well-being. In this sense, I look forward to seeing that the exchanges between our two parties could serve as a powerful engine of the “community of shared future for mankind”.

Interviewer: Proposed by China,the Belt and Road is an important initiative for international cooperation and has been widely welcomed by the international community, especially countries alongside. Since last year,the Japanese Government and various social sectors have shown some positive attitude toward the initiative. What fi elds within the framework of the Belt and Road do you think China and Japan could cooperate in the future?

Natsuo Yamaguchi: The Belt and Road is a grand conception linking the Asian and European Continents. Japan could contribute to the realization of the conception through promoting the sustainable development of various countries by cooperating in business with China as a third party in fields such as high-quality infrastructure development. At the seventh meeting of Japan-China Ruling Party Exchange Mechanism, both sides have reached common consensus on building Fujian Province into an international exemplary zone for Japan-China cooperation on Belt and Road. The implementation of specific projects is still a long-term and arduous task; however, I am full of expectations for its future.

Interviewer: The Japanese LDP is vigorously pushing ahead the constitutional amendments, which has aroused extensive concern both in Japan and internationally. As a party in the coalition, what position does the NK hold and what is your forecast of the amendments?

Natsuo Yamaguchi: The NK has insisted on a consistent position on the constitutional amendments. We always believe that the current Japanese Constitution is an excellent one which has been playing a very great role in maintaining peace, development, prosperity and stability of Japan over the past 70 years. No matter what time it is, we must stick to the three basic principles, namely power to the people, respect for basic human rights and pacifism. Meanwhile, Japan’s current constitution has experienced over 70 years of changes, and tremendous changes have also taken place in the Japanese society, some of which were beyond people’s expectation when the Constitution was drafted. The NK holds that based on the three basic principles, necessary contents in conformity with the spirit of the Constitution can be “amended” to the Constitution. We will have full discussion within the Party about what should be added and what should not.

Very strict formalities must be performed for Constitutional amendments in Japan. A motion could only be proposed to the people when it is supported by over two thirds of the members of houses of the parliament. In addition,the proposal must gain the support by over half of the entire people at the stage of national ballot. Japan will continue with the in-depth study and discussions at the review meetings of both houses, and we look forward to seeing a more mature understanding by the people.