Japan Country overview

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-14918801

Japan - Maldives Basics1

Diplomatic Facts1- Diplomatic relations established in 1967.2- Gayoom, visited Japan 4 times between 1984 - 2001. Yamin 2014.2

3- Mv embassy in Tokyo opened in 2007, The Japan Ambassador to Sri Lanka also accredited to the Maldives, and makes periodic visits

4- Number of Japanese nationals residing in Maldives: 182 (2011) Number of Maldives nationals residing in Japan: 43 (2014)

5- It has been reported that Japan has approved funds for a Japanese embassy in Maldives in its 2015 budget. 3

Economic Facts6- 2012 Export to Japan:0.72 billion yen (fishes (tuna etc.))7- 2012 Import from Japan:1.2 billion yen (ship engine, car)8- List of Exchange of Notes:

(a) Loans: 2.733 billion yen (in 2006)(b) Grants: 27.714 billion yen (cumulative total as of fiscal 2012)(c) Technical cooperation: 6.606 billion yen (cumulative total as of fiscal 2012)

9- Cultural Grant: Cumulative total fiscal cultural grant aid from 1975-2013 is 246.1 million yen.

10- Only 3 percent of tourists are Japanese, 30 percent are from China. 11- Japan is the biggest bilateral donor to the Maldives 12- Japan is the second biggest trading parte

Fun FactsIn Japan adult incontinence pads now outsell nappies

In 1991 Japan was the second largest foreign aid donor worldwide, behind the United States. Japan's ratio of foreign aid to GNP in this year was 0.32%, behind the 0.35% average for the OECD's Development Assistance Committee member countries, but ahead of the United States ratio of 0.20%.

1 Basic facts from Japan MoFA website < http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/maldives/index.html>2 List of visits from other ministers (note most of them are from Tourism, Economic and foreign ministers) <3 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/01/12/national/politics-diplomacy/ministers-give-ok-six-new-embassies-two-consulates-open/#.VObL0bCUdRV

Japanese projects in Maldives

Technical Cooperation Agreement between Maldives and Japan

6 August 2010, Male’;A Technical Cooperation Agreement was signed today between the Government of Maldives and the Government of Japan at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Under the agreement, the Government of Maldives will be implementing measures to receiving the technical assistance which comprises of dispatching of experts and senior volunteers to the Maldives, organizing Missions for Development Study to the Maldives, providing technical training to Maldivian Nationals and assistance in equipment machinery and materials.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will implement the technical cooperation on behalf of the Government of Japan.

Clean Energy Project

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has completed the “Project for Clean Energy Promotion in Malé”.

Some 740 solar panels were installed in 12 government buildings in the capital under the US$11.1 million (MVR141.5 million) grant aid solar energy project launched in December 2011.

Project was based on a feasibility study conducted by JICA – the Japanese government’s bilateral donor agency – from February to November 2009 

The grant aid agreement for the solar energy project was signed in March 2010

Previous Projects

First mechanisation of fishing vessels between 1973-76, The development of Malé’s seawall between 1987-2003, Extension of loans amounting to US$34 million for post-tsunami reconstruction. December 2013 Japan gifted 200 million Japanese yen (US$ 1,956,400) in grant aid for

medical supplies

Joint Crediting Mechanism

Intro On June 29, 2013, Mr. Nobuteru Ishihara, Minister of the Environment, signed in Okinawa Prefecture a document concerning the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) with Dr. Mariyam Shakeela, Minister of Environment and Energy, the Republic of Maldives. At present no concrete projects have started under this agreement.

JCM is a mechanism whereby Japan helps facilitate the distribution of leading low carbon technologies products systems services and infrastructure as well as implementation of mitigation actions so as to reduce the emissions of developing countries such as Maldives. Once that reduction has been achieved those emission reductions or removals will be used to help achieve emission reduction targets of Japan So as to contribute to the ultimate objective of the UNFCCC by facilitating global actions for emission reductions or removals. note at the initial state there shall be no trading of emissions credits)

The JCM will also contribute to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change objective by facilitating global actions for cutting emissions and complementing the clean development mechanism under the Kyoto protocol. For example, a JCM project in Mongolia plans to replace conventional coal-based boilers with new energy-efficient ones. Reducing coal use will not only contribute to mitigation of climate change but also improve economic efficiency and air quality. Such efforts are being driven by Japan's financial and technological support through the JCM.

How it works5

Eg If a normal Maldivian A/c emits 150 a day and thanks to the reduction of energy consumption of airconditioners using deep sea water installed by Japan it reduces its emissions to 100 a day then the 50 that is saved from being emitted will be added to Japns total target carbon emissions credit so Japan can go on polluting and the global carbon emissions rate will remain the same rather than increasing. (atleast this is how I think it works)

Japan and a host country (Maldives) establish a joint committee to govern and operate the JCM. The committee develops and adopts rules and guidelines, registers projects, and issues JCM credits for greenhouse gas emission reductions or removals. The committee is also tasked to prevent JCM projects from being registered under any other international climate mitigation mechanisms, to avoid double counting on emission reductions.

4 MRV is a term used to describe all measures which states take to collect data on emissions, mitigation actions and support, to compile this information in reports and inventories, and to subject these to some form of international review or analysis5 Detailed version: < http://www.thepmr.org/system/files/documents/JCM.pdf>

President Yameen visit 6 Was first official Mv president visit since 1967. Y expressed gratitude for the invite. Abe thanked Y for 700,000 tuna cans shipped after Great East Japan Earth Quake.

  Economic cooperation and Aid

Terrestrial digital broadcasting: Yameen announced that the Maldives decided to adopt the Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) as its national system, and Prime Minister Abe welcomed the first adoption of the Japanese standards in South Asia.

PM announced Japan would dispatch a survey mission for the purpose of identifying possible avenues to assist introduction of the ISDB-T system in the Maldives through grant aid.

Joint Crediting Mechanism - Prime Minister Abe said Japan will continue to provide assistance focused on environmental and climate change measures and disaster reduction, and said he wants to cooperate further toward a concrete project regarding the Joint Crediting Mechanism.

The two leaders welcomed the launch of the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) in June 2013 and expressed their expectation for the early realization of JCM projects driven by private sector under this mechanism.

Male International Airport- President Yameen expressed hopes that Japan will cooperate in areas such as the project of maintenance and expansion of the Male International Airport.

Prime Minister Abe stated that he would study the possible form of cooperation. In this regard, the two leaders welcomed the MoU recently concluded between The Maldives Airports Company Limited and Japanese companies on the new international terminal building.

Other AreasPrime Minister Abe expressed that the Government of Japan is ready to offer technical cooperation for formulation of a Master Plan for sustainable fisheries development in the Maldives.

Prime Minister Abe reaffirmed the commitment of Japan to continue its Official Development Assistance to the Maldives.

The two leaders welcomed bilateral cooperation in the areas of disaster risk reduction and reconstruction, and adaptation to climate change, such as the construction of the breakwater surrounding Malé island, which protected the island from the Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004, and a clean energy project in Malé. 7 Talked about people to people exchanges through initiatives such as support for MNU language class, bilateral sports prog such as sports for tomorrow, parliamentarian exchanges and tourism

International Relations

6 Link to more detailed version <http://www.mofa.go.jp/s_sa/sw/mv/page4e_000081.html>7 What clean energy project?

Maritime and Aviation Prime Minister Abe said the Maldives is located at a strategic point on the sea lane of the

Indian Ocean and he wants to cooperate toward realizing “Open and Stable Seas.” 8 President Yameen expressed his support for the Japanese policy of “Proactive Contribution to

Peace” Prime Minister Abe also said he wants to continue to pursue exchanges in areas such as

maritime security. Both leaders confirmed the importance of the freedom of navigation in accordance with the international law of the sea.

Prime Minister Abe expressed his gratitude to President Yameen for receiving mission aircrafts of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force engaging in UN Peacekeeping Operations as well as the current anti-piracy operations for more than twenty years.

The two leaders, noting that the training squadron of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force visited the port of Malé for the first time in July 2012, shared their intention to promote exchanges between the defense authorities of the two countries, especially in the area of maritime security.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment as maritime countries to the freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce and peaceful settlement of disputes based on the principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS) and reiterated the view that attempts to change the status quo by force in violation of international law and by coercive measures in the regions, including respective regions around both countries 9 such as the Indian Ocean, should not be overlooked.

The two leaders underscored the importance of the freedom of overflight over the high seas and civil aviation safety in accordance with the principles of international law and the relevant standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).10

International Community The two leaders, taking into account the alarming finding contained in the latest report of the

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), stressed the need to cooperate closely to accelerate international efforts, especially in the negotiations at the UNFCCC process, in order to curb climate change and environmental degradation.11

PM Abe thanked Maldives for’ supporting Japan’s aspiration to become a permanent member of UN Security Council. President Yameen expressed the Maldives’ continued support for Japan to serve as a non-permanent member of the Security Council; and also support for Japan’s bid to become a member of the UN Economic and Social Council at the elections to be held during the 69th session of the UNGA 2014

Security Council reforms have been a critical component of wider UN reforms for over twenty years, and have attracted a number of diverse views on how a reformed Council should look like. The Maldives has argued that the categories of permanent membership should be expanded to include India and Japan, and wide-ranging reforms to the Council’s working methods. It also stated its belief that the expansion of membership should come from both developing and developed countries, and should be reflective of the diverse membership of the United Nations.

The Maldives welcomed the continuation of the intergovernmental negotiations in the General Assembly on this issue, and expressed its hope that actual negotiations and modalities on a

8 What exactly does the cooperation entail note potential conflicts with China and India.9 NOTE Could be referring to Chinese measures such as increasing Frigate patrols in disputed areas. 10 NOTE: Could be referring to China recently imposing restrictions on over flight in disputed areas with Japan. 11 What is Japans position on climate change? Compatibility with ours?

way forward could be agreed upon at the earliest. These negotiations the Maldives stated, should be conducted through a constructive and consultative process that would be transparent and inclusive

Both of them bashed North Korea for a bit haha.

Relationship between Japan and our main allies

Japan – China China-Japan relations took a sharp nosedive toward the end of 2012 when the Japanese government purchased several of the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands from a private owner. Tokyo insisted it had done so only to prevent a more inflammatory alternative — nationalist Tokyo Mayor Shintaro Ishihara had promised to buy the islands and begin construction on them. Beijing did not accept this explanation and accused Japan of escalating the territorial dispute by nationalizing the islands. Fall 2012 marked the beginning of sharply increased Chinese patrols, both by sea and by air, near the disputed islands.

China-Japan relations deteriorated even further under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. His December 2013 visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, where Japanese war dead are enshrined, enraged Beijing. Since then, China has called for Japan to show sincere remorse for World War II atrocities. Abe’s moves to loosen restrictions on Japan’s Self Defense Forces have also caused concern in China that Tokyo is returning to a militaristic path. Meanwhile, Tokyo denounced China’s declaration of an Air Defense Identification Zone over the East China Sea in November 2013 and argues that increased Chinese aggression makes it necessary for Japan to up its defense readiness.

Japan – India To realize its full economic and demographic potential, India needs a partner that can provide multi-sector support. On this recent trip, however, Modi and Abe went further, discussing their nascent military engagements, triggering speculation over a gradually solidifying Indo-Japanese strategic alliance, particularly through the prism of the “China threat.”Japan and India might have a common concern, but the ground on which a lasting alliance might be formed looks shaky. Japan is an island state, and as such its threat perception is different from India’s, which shares a land border with China. Geography would complicate relations and Japan would find it a burden to fulfill its alliance commitments to India. In any conflict scenario, India would be fighting a land war, whereas Japan would be engaged in naval conflict.Modi’s remarks in Japan attracted only a muted response from China. It is also clear from its mounting investment in Gujarat that many foreign governments are keen to be on good terms with Modi.

Rather, the Chinese media continued to target Japan for trying to woo India and sabotage China’s strategic interests.Just weeks ago, for instance, Modi returned from a highly successful trip to Japan, China’s fiercest rival, bringing home pledges of billions of dollars in aid and investment along with agreements to strengthen security and economic ties. 12

Implications for the Maldives

12 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/09/21/asia-pacific/politics-diplomacy-asia-pacific/india-china-quietly-wrestle-over-indian-ocean/#.VObP97CUdRU