Photo by GPO

This is my first visit to Japan and I have found a broad and shared cultural-behavioral expanse of rules, courtesy and characteristic conduct.  The same rules of courtesy that govern a meeting with the Prime Minister or the Foreign Minister also apply to ice cream parlor employees, waiters and chambermaids.  All share great courtesy, generosity, modest speech, attention to detail, patience and a willingness to listen.
 
I am very proud of what we have in our country.  There is no Israeli who does not love what we have created in the land even if we love to complain.  However, I believe that it is important to view other societies and cultures, with open eyes in order to draw comparisons with our customs and to ask questions.
 
Dinner with Japanese Business People
 
During last night’s dinner with Japanese business people, it was apparent that they were expressing their positive approach towards the State of Israel and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.  Yesterday, which was dedicated to meetings with the business community (http://tinyurl.com/ynsw9a), showed how much the Japanese see Israel as a well overflowing with opportunities and possibilities.  If one takes into account the fact that Israel’s population is much smaller than that of Tokyo alone, this is certainly noteworthy.  Many here share Bill Gates’s view, which he expressed on a visit to Israel, that the US and Israel are first-rate information, entrepreneurial and technological superpowers.  Yesterday ended with a joint dinner for Prime Minister Olmert’s entourage, Israeli business people and Japanese business people.  In his speech, the Prime Minister referred to the great latent potential of bilateral cooperation and received a warm response from those who heard him.  I spent the dinner in the company of several Japanese business people, two of whom have warm commercial ties with Israel.  One had just returned from an additional trip to Israel.  The other has made over ten visits to Israel, is knowledgeable about the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and proved his mastery of Israeli slang.  All those at the table regarded Israel as an economic superpower.  They found in us an exceptional combination of unique thinking that creates business opportunities.  I believed them when they said that they intended to continue investing in Israel.  They added that Prime Minister Olmert’s visit was very important for the continuation of bilateral economic and commercial ties.
 
During the meal, I thought to myself – Who are we?  What is the secret of our magic?  What has turned us from a relatively small nation into a technological and high-tech superpower?  The question is broad and the answers are many but I could not help but think the main reason is the strength of the Jewish spirit, the ability to see ourselves despite the past and despite the size – relative to others.  This strength, as Prime Minister Olmert has stressed in every speech and meeting, this ability to speak with any superpower eye-to-eye, is, perhaps, the secret of our motivating spirit.
 
Meeting with Emperor Akihito
 
Prime Minister Olmert began today with a moving visit to the Imperial Palace.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by his wife Aliza.  Only Prime Minister Olmert, Emperor Akihito, Aliza Olmert and the Empress Michiko attended the meeting.  It is clear that what was said during the meeting should remain with the palace walls; however, upon returning to the hotel, Prime Minister Olmert told us about the especially friendly and warm reception, replete with admiration for Israel.
 
Meeting with Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura
 
Prime Minister Olmert then met with Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura and his entourage.  Prime Minister Olmert was accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Yoram Turbowicz, Diplomatic Adviser Shalom Turgeman, his Military Secretary, Media Adviser Ya’akov Galanti, International Media Adviser Mark Regev and myself.  The meeting, which was held in a very friendly atmosphere, began with Foreign Minister Koumura’s greetings to Israel on the forthcoming occasion of the 60th anniversary of our independence.  He added that Japan welcomes the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.  Here, I must add – whenever I accompany Prime Minister Olmert to his meetings with heads of state, I witness the great importance that they attribute to the peace process and how its very existence adds to Israel’s position.  During those moments, I wish that I could only help more of my countrymen to realize how critical this process is to Israel’s relations with the nations of the world.
 
Prime Minister Olmert reiterated his commitment to the peace process, thanked Japan for its position on the matter and for its generally positive position towards Israel.  In response to Foreign Minister Koumura’s question regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip (http://tinyurl.com/yraugj) and concerns over a humanitarian crisis there, the Prime Minister said that it goes both ways.  Missile fire at our southern communities cannot continue.  It cannot be that one boy is hit in the shoulder while another loses a leg and thousands of children and their parents go to sleep night after night with the fear of missile fair hanging over them.  “Apparently, life is more complicated than general statements,” the Prime Minister said.  It was only late at night here that we heard the bitter news that a student at Sapir College had been killed (http://tinyurl.com/ywhcer) in a Kassam barrage on Sderot, further testimony to the complexity of the situation and of the bitter reality being experienced by residents of the south.
 
The two men also discussed bilateral affairs, including economic cooperation.  The meeting ended in a positive atmosphere, with cordial handshakes.

Meeting with former Foreign Minister Taro Aso
 
Prime Minister Olmert then met with former Foreign Minister Taro Aso, whom he had previously met during his August 2007 visit to Israel.  The two men have remained close friends and the meeting was held in an especially positive atmosphere.  Mr. Aso said that political life continues even after the conclusion of one’s position.  The Prime Minister wondered if politics was so easy only in Israel and added that one could easily distinguish between the current and past foreign ministers.  Whereas the former radiates grave responsibility, the latter has been released from his burdens and concerns.  Even so, the conversation immediately moved to topical bilateral issues.
 
I again found myself dwelling on Prime Minister Olmert’s commitment to the State of Israel and its people, about whom he speaks with such enthusiasm.  Again, I would like to see many share these scenes and feelings.  The gap between the leadership in Israel and its actions, and between how it is seen by many among the public worries me greatly and I have no doubt that the day will come when a thorough and serious internal Israeli debate is held on this issue and new norms are determined regarding the relationship between the Government and citizens and the degree of their confidence in it.
 
Meeting with former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
 
An especially fascinating meeting was held with former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who visited Israel in July 2006.  It was during his 12.7.06 meeting with Prime Minister Olmert that the abduction of Udi Goldwasser and Eldad Regev (http://tinyurl.com/2atd8m) and the killing of their comrades, and the attack on the northern communities, which later led to the Second Lebanon War, became known.  Mr. Koizumi recalled that meeting and the deep impression that it left on him.  Today’s meeting was especially warm and convivial.  Mr. Koizumi is keenly interested in both Israel and the Middle East and asked focused and pointed questions.  I was struck by his commitment to Israel’s security.

Photo by GPO

Meeting with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda
 
We then traveled to the offices of Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.  First, a working meeting was held between the prime ministers and their delegations.  The two men later met privately before delivering a statement to the media.  An official dinner was then held, with the participation of the prime minister’s wives and entourages.
 
The entire event reiterated the following: Japan attributes great importance to its relations with Israel.  Prime Minister Fukuda proudly noted the fact that Japan was the first Asian country to open diplomatic relations with Israel and fully intends to celebrate the 60th anniversary of this, in 2012.  The Japanese Prime Minister also referred to the fact that bilateral relations have grown progressively warmer over the years and that the two countries must now act to strengthen their ties, especially in the economic, commercial and business fields.  He also commended Israel’s technological abilities as, “among the best in the world.”  The sides agreed that bilateral working teams would consider ways to further strengthen and advance relations.
 
Prime Minister Fukuda reiterated the importance that his country ascribes to advancing the diplomatic process between Israel and the Palestinians and proposed Japan as a site for intensive negotiations in order to attain results this year.  Prime Minister Olmert replied that were the negotiations to be held in Japan, we might not want to finish them given Japan’s beauty and good atmosphere.  His Japanese counterpart promised to arrange, “appropriate atmosphere,” to facilitate the negotiations’ quick and effective conclusion.
 
The two prime ministers discussed the Iranian issue and agreed on the need to bring about a halt to Iran’s nuclear program (http://tinyurl.com/2hk4mw).  Prime Minister Olmert pointed out the need to intensify the international sanctions on Iran in order to halt its nuclear weapons program.
 
Following the private meeting and the media statement, we were led to an impressive, yet elegantly simple, dining room.  Dinner was held with full ceremony and an exchange of toasts.  Prime Minister Fukuda said that although the two countries were geographically far apart, they had much in common, which would form the basis for continued fruitful cooperation.  Prime Minister Olmert told a personal story.  While serving as a minister in the late 1980’s, the then prime minister offered to appoint him as Israel’s Ambassador to the US.  The Prime Minister asked to think it over for a day.  That evening, he asked Aliza what she thought.  She told him – If you agree, even though I feel positive about America, I will visit you from time to time but I will stay with the children in Israel.  However, if you are offered the Embassy in Tokyo, I will come with you.  As is known, the Prime Minister was not offered the Embassy in Tokyo, and stayed in Israel.
 
Conclusions and reflections
 
After a day filled with Prime Minister Olmert’s diplomatic meetings with senior Japanese leaders, a clear picture arises of a global, central and significant superpower that attributes great importance to Israel.  We have many causes for concern, and national pride.  The latter were abundant in Japan.  Our one and only tiny country, which arouses the greatest sense of belonging in every Israeli, this country and its residents know how to do the work!!  After two days of economic, business and diplomatic meetings, much work remains to be done: Professional teams will discuss the further strengthening of relations.  Economic teams will develop and expand bilateral economic cooperation and business people will continue to do business with leading Japanese companies.  I am not naïve and know that, in the end, it will be actions that speak.  These matters are spoken simply, as they really are, here in Japan, no more and no less.  May they also be received this way.
 
Oved Yehezkel
Government Secretary