Chapter 2. Basic Objectives of Japan's Diplomacy
l. Promotion of a Multilateral Diplomacy through Cooperation and Dialogue
Japan's interchange with foreign countries today extends over the entire world. In order to secure its own peace and progress, Japan must promote the maintenance and strengthening of international peace, stability and cooperation.
The need, therefore, is for ,Japan to conduct an active multilateral diplomacy on a global scale through cooperation and dialogue.
In conducting such a multilateral diplomacy, it is, first of all, fundamentally important for Japan to maintain and develop its traditional relations of friendship and cooperation with the countries of the West, namely in North America, Western Europe and Oceania, that have the same political system and are at the same level of economic development as Japan. Especially, Japan's relations of friendship and cooperation with the United States constitute a pillar of its foreign policy ,and it must promote Japan-U.S. relations further on the principle of mutual trust and cooperation which form the spirit of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and the United States of America.
Next, it is important for Japan to promote further its traditional relations of friendship and cooperation with its neighboring Asian countries. For its own security and for facilitating its activities abroad, Japan must attach particular importance to its relations with its close neighbors in East Asia and must be constantly concerned with and strive for the stability and development of this region.
It is also important for Japan to promote dialogues with countries of different political systems and to maintain stable relations with them. Especially, in view of the significance of its relations with China and the Soviet Union, which are Japan's neighbors and play important roles in world politics, Japan must endeavor to secure stable relations with these two countries.
Relations between Japan and the Middle East countries are of particular importance to Japan, and it must make the greatest possible efforts to realize peace and development in this region.
Japan also needs to pursue mutual understanding and cooperation with other regions of the world, such as Africa and Central and South America, from the standpoint of promoting broadly-ranged international cooperation.
With Japan's diplomacy having acquired global dimensions as mentioned above, the promotion of manifold bilateral relations as well as further efforts through the United Nations and other multilateral organizations are necessary in its pursuit.
In particular, it is important for Japan to provide support for and make contributions to multilateral cooperation for international peace in such matters as settling disputes, disarmament and the prevention of nuclear proliferation.
It also must further expand bilateral and multilateral interchange in the fields of culture and education to promote mutual understanding and friendship with other nations.
2. Contributions to the Sound Development of the World Economy - Efforts for International Cooperation and Solving the North-South Problem
In order to cope with the international economy which is undergoing changes under the impact of the oil problem and to achieve stability and sustained growth of its own economy , Japan must endeavor to secure the sound development of the world economy as a whole, fully recognizing the interdependent nature of relations among nations today. Japan, therefore, must promote cooperation with other countries through bilateral relations or in the United Nations, GATT, IMF, IBRD OECD and various other international organizations, in order to make positive contributions to the creation of harmonious relations of international cooperation. In particular, it is indispensable for the attainment of stability in international relations and the sound development of the international community as a whole to secure stability for the people's livelihood and development of the economies of the developing countries and to maintain and enhance constructive cooperative relations between them and the developed countries. Japan enjoys broad interchange with the developing countries and is cooperating in various ways in their efforts for nation-building. Further efforts must be made to extend effective cooperation in a manner consonant with Japan's capacities.
3. Efforts for the Solution of Problems Bearing on Mankind's Future
The world today is faced with several major problems that have a bearing on the future of mankind, transcending differences in political ideology, economic system and the stage of economic development. It is an important task for Japan's diplomacy to endeavor actively to solve these problems common to all people. These problems include the utilization of the oceans and outer space, the environmental problems and the peaceful use of atomic energy. Japan must make positive contributions toward creating a better world to live in through the framework of various kinds of international cooperation.