- Hans Weber
- March 6, 2025
An Insight into Japan-Czech Relations: An Exclusive Interview with the Japanese Ambassador
- How long are you already posted in Prague, and where have you been posted before?
- I was appointed as Ambassador to the Czech Republic last February and started my function in late March. Throughout my career I have frequently dealt with the Middle East issues, and been posted to our embassies in the region, such Israel and Iraq.
- Have you visited many parts of the Czech Republic, and what did you like most?
- I have visited almost all the major cities and regions, Brno, Ostrava, Plzen, Liberec, Olomouc and others, and to some of them I have already visited three or four times. In every big city in Czechia, including Prague, the good harmony of old buildings and contemporary lifestyle is very impressive.
- Which is your favorite place in Prague?
- It is rather difficult to choose, as Prague is full of attractiveness, but I love to walk around Strahov monastery and Petrin area as I can enjoy spectacular views of Prague, especially Mala Strana, while I always feel the change of nature.
- Can you tell us something about the Japanese community in the Czech Republic?
- The Japanese community in the country is relatively big, as there are as many as 2,500 registered Japanese people, for we have almost 270 Japanese companies in Czechia. Their accumulated amount of investment is the second largest, next to Germany. We also have a Japanese school in Prague where there are about ninety students from Grade 1 to 9.
- What are the main cultural differences between Japan and the Czech Republic?
- I recognize more similarities than differences between Japan and the Czech Republic. For instance, both peoples respect punctuality and good organization, and pay full attention to details in producing goods. They also love beers, though the kind of beer is rather different.
- What are the main topics on the agenda in the relationship between Japan and the Czech Republic?
- The two countries have for long time been strategic partners and we have developed our relations across political, business and cultural fields. Now that the security situation in Europe is closely linked with that of East Asia, we have to work on further security and defense cooperation with each other. The newly signed MOU on defense industry is simply a good example of such cooperation.
- This year we host Osaka-Kansai EXPO from April to October, and this will be an excellent opportunity to realize further collaboration on business partnership, technological research, academic exchanges and others. We anticipate many Czech people, including some cabinet ministers and senior businesspeople to visit Osaka and the rest of Japan.
- Japan is a leading technologically developed country. Nonetheless, there is also a long historically based cultural tradition. How do tradition and modernity cohabitate among people?
- Since ancient time, Japan has brought in other cultures and made necessary modifications to make them appropriate in our own cultural environments. This was also the case when we started to import advanced technologies of Western countries from the late 19th So, I can safely say that cohabitation of the tradition culture and modern technology is in fact an important aspect of the Japanese way of life.
- Can you tell us about Japan’s plan to set up a base on the Moon?
- In October 2020, Japan signed the Artemis Accords which represents a common understanding on various principles for space exploration and utilization with the Artemis Program in mind, as one of the first eight signatory countries (currently more than 30 signatories). (For further information on the Artemis Program, please see NASA website. https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/artemis/)
- Specifically, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) will provide habitation technologies for Gateway modules and will be responsible for resupplying the Gateway, leveraging the human space stay and supply technologies accumulated through participation in the ISS program. (For further information of Gateway, https://www.nasa.gov/mission/gateway/)
- You are the only country whose Head of State is an Emperor. What is the role of the Emperor in Japanese society?
- His Majesty the Emperor is the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people of Japan, as defined in our Constitution. Their Majesties carry out a variety of activities, including official duties and public activities at the Imperial Palace, official visits in Japan and fostering friendly relations with other countries. They pay such a particular attention to the situation of the areas severely affected by natural disasters that they make frequent official visits to those areas to encourage the local population to realize early reconstruction.
- How are the plans of a gradual increase of the weight of nuclear energy evolving?
- After the incident of Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011, no nuclear energy was used in 2014. Since then, it started to gradually increase, and it is estimated to have reached 8.5% in 2023.
- According to the 6th Strategic Energy Plan adopted in 2021, nuclear energy is expected to occupy 20-22% of entire energy supply in 2030.
- What is Japan’s role in the integration of Asian economies?
- Since 1970s, Japan has been making various measures to achieve economic integration among Asian countries. For instance, Japan has been playing a leading role in APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) since its foundation. APEC’s 21 members aim to create greater prosperity for the people of the region by promoting balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure growth and by accelerating regional economic integration.
- Japan also made significant contributions to creating and implementing multilateral legal frameworks to promote further economic integration, such CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) and RCEP (the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement).
- Europe is experiencing a progressive aging of the population. Japan is experiencing a similar challenge. What, in your view, are the causes, and which steps would you consider to be suitable to mitigate the consequences?
- One of the main causes of Japan’s declining birthrate is the fact that increasing number of people either remain unmarried or get married later in life. Other causes are also important, such changes in young people’s attitude towards marriage, a large economic burden of childcare, a gender wage gap, and a significant burden on women when it comes to childcare and housework.
- There is no magic solution to resolve all these challenges at once, and we have to address each of them simultaneously. Having said this, in my view, the most effective measure seems to provide necessary financial and other support to young married couples so that they are able to raise their children in a more appropriate environments while they can continue their professional carriers.
- In fact, in December 2023, the Japanese government approved “the Children’s Future Strategy” which includes specific measures to strengthen policies on an unprecedented scale, amounting to about 3.6 trillion yen (approximately 22.8 million euro). As a result, Japan’s family-related social expenditure per child is expected to be around 16%, reaching the level of Sweden, the top country in the OECD.
- What is the image that the Japanese have of the EU and the Czech Republic?
- If I answer this question with a few words, they would be “wonderful culture and heritage.” I believe many Japanese tourists to European countries, including Czechia, hope to enjoy rich culture -music, arts, architecture and others- nurtured through long history. The Czech Republic is indeed one of such countries as they can enjoy all of them.
- What is the perception in Japan of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine? Indeed, Japan is geographically very close to Russia, and some of its territory is still occupied by Russia.
- The killing of a large number of innocent civilians by the Russian forces in Ukraine is a grave breach of international humanitarian law and war crimes. It is absolutely unacceptable, and Japan vehemently condemns it. The truth about these atrocities must be uncovered and Russia must be held strictly accountable for war crimes.
- Since the start of the aggression, Japan has consistently continued to support Ukraine and impose sanctions against Russia in close cooperation with the international community, based on the idea that today’s Ukraine may be tomorrow’s East Asia. The progress of Russia-DPRK military cooperation is not only a further deterioration of the situation in Ukraine but also a grave concern on the security of the region surrounding Japan.
- Japan has been actively supporting Ukrainian people and government, with the assistance totaling more than 12 billion US$ and taken other measures including hosting the first international conference on the economic reconstruction of the country.
- Is Russia or China the major threat to Japan in changing global conflicts?
- The Chinese Navy and Air Force have in recent years expanded and intensified their activities in the surrounding sea areas and airspace of Japan, including the area surrounding the Senkaku Islands. The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) has continued to make frequent scrambles against Chinese aircraft. China has also continued naval vessels’ passage through waters near Japan for navigation to distant waters such as the Indian Ocean, as well as activities viewed as training of maritime and air forces making forays to the Pacific and the Sea of Japan. The activities of the Chinese military have become more sophisticated in recent years, with signs of improvement in their ability to carry out practical joint operations. Chinese military activities in Japan’s surrounding waters and airspace should be closely watched with great attention.
- China and Russia are demonstrating actions to enhance cooperation further even while aggression against Ukraine is ongoing. There is a possibility for the two countries to enhance military cooperation further, and these developments, including the strengthening of military cooperation between China and Russia, not only have a direct impact on the security environment surrounding Japan, but may also have strategic effects on the United States and Europe, and should be watched with concern.
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