CINDERFORD, England — Yukio Hatoyama and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) have finally taken up the reins of power after their stunning election victory Aug. 30. The promise of their manifesto is change. With politicians on top and bureaucrats on tap, Japan is to develop a proactive autonomous foreign policy that establishes a more balanced Japan-U.S. alliance, strengthens Japan's trade relations and promotes measures to prevent global warming. Interestingly, this agenda is echoed in Brussels.
Yet in the 30 pages of the DPJ's "Platform for Government," the European Union is not mentioned on a single occasion; nor is it in the "Policy Agreement upon the Establishment of a Coalition Government," signed Sept. 9 by the DPJ, the Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party.
While one understands the need to emphasize the establishment of cooperative mechanisms in East Asia that would build toward an East Asian Community, it seems to be a mistake to play down the EU to this extent. After all, the EU is bigger than the United States, richer than the U.S. and gives more assistance to the Third World than the U.S. Moreover, Washington has played the EU and Japan off against each other. More autonomy requires new allies.