ATHENS -- The rift between the United States and "Old Europe" over the Iraq war was the biggest cause for concern among Japanese participants at a Japan-Europe symposium held here recently.

There were reasons behind the Japanese fears. In an unprecedented diplomatic maneuver, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in March confirmed Japan's full support for the U.S.-led military campaign against the regime of Saddam Hussein.

The schism between the U.S. and European powerhouses such as France and Germany put Japan in an awkward position in light of its postwar diplomatic platform -- the maintenance of good relations with the U.S., reliance on American help, cooperation with the international community, and the enhancement of the role of the United Nations.

The duality implicit in Japan's diplomatic strategy was challenged by the launch of the U.S.-Anglo offensive in Iraq without the full-fledged endorsement of the U.N.

Despite their apprehension over an apparent U.S. inclination toward unilateralism, however, many European participants at the symposium, including officials of the European Community Commission, appeared optimistic over the prospects of mending the trans-Atlantic divide.

Stressing that the U.S. and Europe share common values and a hatred of the Hussein regime, some European participants stated that the rift merely centered on a difference in methodology.

One European stated, meanwhile, that President George W. Bush and the neoconservatives within his administration would not represent Washington for ever.

For their part, Japanese delegates cited the geopolitical risk posed by North Korea's alleged development of nuclear weapons as a key factor behind Tokyo's backing for the offensive on Iraq.

The four-day confab, the 16th of its kind, was organized by the Delegation of the European Commission in Japan.

Greece, which currently chairs the EU, will host the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.

Nine Japanese journalists and 14 European journalists took part in the forum, with several Japanese and European opinion leaders giving lectures under the main forum heading: The EU's Enlargement and its Implications for the EU-Japan Partnership.

While the Iraq war occupied the minds of delegates throughout the forum, the Europeans were generally upbeat on the prospects of political, economic and even military integration in Europe.

On May 1, 2004, the 15-member European Union will welcome 10 new members -- Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Turkey and the Balkan states may follow suit in future years.

Along with the bloc's eastward enlargement, former French President Giscard d'Estain has been handed the onerous task of drafting an EU constitution, which could result in the relinquishing of part of member nations' national sovereignty.

Some favor an EU model based on an intergovernmental confederation, while others are calling for the creation of a federation, such as the United States of Europe.

Having perceived sharp divisions among certain European nations over the Iraq war, many Japanese journalists voiced skepticism over the projected political integration process.

Ambassador Bernhard Zepter, head of the EC Delegation in Japan, responded that Europe has reached the point of no return and the integration process is irreversible.

He claimed that this process was inspired by the bitter lessons Europe has learned from its cruel past, scarred by 1,000 years of civil wars and two world wars.

Other European participants suggested that European differences over the Iraq war would only reinforce the integration process in the long term.

John Wyles, a former journalist with the Financial Times who currently works as a policy analyst with Gplus Europe in London, presented a much bolder image of Europe's future.

He envisaged the formation of a Franco-German federation, the establishment of a European Army encompassing the French, German and British forces, and even the birth of a European Federation characterized by a bicameral parliamentary system.

For Japan, the EU enlargement process poses a new challenge, especially for multinational Japanese corporations doing business in Europe, as it would involve the birth of the world's largest economic bloc.

Sony Europe President Michiaki Tsurumi told the forum that he views the ongoing drive to make Europe a single market as an opportunity. He voiced hope that the EU enlargement process would allow Japanese businesses to deal with the enlarged European market as one entity, rather than individually, with regulations harmonized between member states.

Tsurumi noted that Sony is implementing a sophisticated European reorganization strategy aimed at meeting the specific requirements of the continent in terms of race, language, culture and level of economic development.

The same holds true of Toyota Motor Corp., another multinational.

Takis Athanasopoulos, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Marketing Europe, said that he more than welcomes the EU enlargement process, stating it "represents a win-win situation for business and citizens alike."

"The new citizens of the EU provide a tremendous opportunity," he said.

"They will strengthen the EU as consumers, as employers, and as peoples committed as we are to the integration process."

In terms of Japan, developments in Europe do raise one immediate question -- could the EU enlargement model be exported to Asia?

Suggestions of a united Asia or a regional integration drive were immediately dismissed by former Foreign Vice Minister Yoshiji Nogami, who currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

He cited a lack of motivation for Asian countries to integrate and noted that the presence of communist nations in the region, most noticeably China, runs contrary to the EU model of common values.

Nogami stated that Asia boasts immense diversity in terms of culture, race and political systems, and that the continent is "thriving on diversity."

He said he could not foresee any new developments fostering regional integration in Asia mirroring that in Europe.

"If any, it might be an economic integration," he said, "but in a way to build up a free-trade agreement on a bilateral or regional basis, like the one signed between Japan and Singapore."

The emergence of Europe as a growing political and economic entity has raised questions about the ramifications for Japan.

The Japanese and European participants agreed that the positive aspects of trade and investment relations would outweigh any problems, but there was uncertainty over the political and diplomatic repercussions.

A Japanese diplomatic source said that many Japanese may believe the nation's relations with Europe are much weaker than those with Washington.

"This is not the case," the source said.

"Japan and the EU are closely interrelated.

"If the world's political landscape can be depicted by the triangular diagram of U.S.-EU, Japan-U.S. and Japan-EU relations, the importance of reinforcing Japan-EU ties cannot be taken lightly," he said.

"A solid Japan-EU relationship would help boost Japan's diplomatic leverage and expand the scope of options for Japan's diplomatic activities, which more often than not are tilting toward deference to Washington."