Yukio Hatoyama, Former Prime Minister of Japan，President of East Asian Community Institute

Speech at Belt and Road Forum (BRF) in Beijing on April 25, 2019

To begin, it is a great honor, and an equal pleasure, to be invited to this Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. I am also deeply grateful to the organizers, for granting me the precious opportunity to address this distinguished gathering.

As we know, relations between China and Japan remained chilled for a long time. I have been extremely pleased and relieved, therefore, with the recent thawing in those bilateral ties. In May of last year, for example, Premier Li Keqiang of China honored Japan with a personal visit, during which he held direct talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. On that occasion, Japan announced its intention to promote China-Japan cooperation, through the Belt & Road Inititive, acting in a third-nation capacity. 

Both China and Japan appear keenly aware of the vast importance, and pressing need, for fruitful cooperation between the two nations. For China, this recognition is underscored by its current trade war with the United States. For Japan, also struggling with trade issues in its relations with Washington, I feel the same understanding definitely exists.  

With the joint interests of China and Japan expanding, this is a great opportunity. The governments of both nations must devote maximum energies to bridging the deep divide that remains between them. Regrettably, however, the Japanese government continues to give excessive considerations to its ties with America. As one example of that stance, Japan did not send a cabinet minister to attend this Forum. In my opinion, to achieve truly effective Japanese foreign policy, the key step is to end this excessive dependence on the United States. 

For myself, two years ago, I was also extremely proud to participate in the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. There, I was deeply impressed with, and enthusiastically endorsed the two aims of President Xi in his Belt & Road Initiative. He stated his first such objective as the foundation of peace. For the second goal, he spoke of economic prosperity. 

Then, last December, I had the chance to join a large number of global leaders for the discussions with President Xi. At that time, I communicated to President Xi my full support of his view of peace as the first aim of the  Belt & Road Initiative. I also expressed hopes for the promotion of the Belt & Road vision through the “Spirit of Fraternity.” By that, I am referring the essence of the principles of benevolence, and compassion, from the Discourses of Confucius. 

President Xi kindly noted that he agreed with my thoughts, and particularly stressed the importance of following the Confucian spirit of compassion. Specifically, the golden rule of “treating others as you would like to be treated yourself.”

From the time that I served as the Prime Minister of Japan, I appealed for the critical nature of creating an East Asian Community. That stance comes from my understanding of the actions of Europe, after World War II, in the quest to achieve a regional community. Those efforts succeeded in creating the European Union, an organization that has overcome numerous difficulties over the decades since. As a result, the EU has emerged as an “antiwar community,” with no real conflicts occurring between any of the member states during these years.

Within the doctrines of the EU, the ideology of “Fraternity” is clearly at work. Impressed with that achievement, I yearn to build an antiwar community, also rooted in the philosophy of Fraternity, in East Asia. With the main focus on China, Japan, South Korea and the ASEAN nations, we could realize a system to resolve individual issues through dialogue and cooperation. If possible, I would also hope to see North Korea become a part of that structure. 

Several summit meetings have been held recently between the United States and North Korea, and between North and South Korea. Based on these movements, I am confident that the potential for such a regional partnership has significantly improved. With the formation of an East Asian Community, it would be possible for all member nations to make major reductions in their defense budgets. Such funds could then be used for medical services, welfare and other programs that truly benefit society.

Both the Belt & Road Initiative, and my envisioned East Asian Community Plan, seek to work through cooperation infrastructure building to achieve progress for the societies, and the economies, of developing nations. In that way, the goal is to raise regional linkage, stabilize the local societies, and contribute to world peace. Although the methods are not necessarily the same, the objectives of both plans are identical. 

In his actual discussions and speeches, President Xi has spoken of the East Asian Community numerous times. I sincerely pray that the linkage between these two plans will be steadily bolstered, paving the way for mutual collaboration to forge a solid foundation for world peace.

One specific contribution to peace, achievable through solid bonds between these two plans, lies in the construction of a railway. As yet another positive impact in that direction, I propose a concentrated push in the vital sector of energy. 

Within the vision of linkage between South Korea, North Korea, China, Russia, Sakhalin Island and Japan by railway, is the mighty dream of regional peace. And, if Mongolia were added to the list of participating nations, a system could be achieved for use of the wind and solar power of Mongolia and Inner Mongolia in China, and the hydraulic power of Russia, as natural energy. The electricity generated through such cooperation could then be sent to nations in need, making effective use of power distribution grids. 

A system of such caliber would greatly benefit the economies of the individual nations, and contribute handsomely to peace and the natural environment. In this way, extending Belt & Road eastward, and connecting up with the East Asian Community, would dramatically expand the significance of the Belt and Road Plan itself. 

In closing, powered by the tremendous wisdom and support of those of you gathered here today, I look forward to rich progress toward making this dream come true.

DISCLAIMER 

The views expressed in this article are entirely those of the author(s) own, and not those of the Belt and Road Studies Network (BRSN).