Interview with Al Jazeera Channel(January 2004 in Qatar)

On 5 January 2004, I visited Al Jazeera inQatar and had an interview with Mr. Jihad
Ali Ballout, Section Head, Communications& Media Relations, Marketing Development,at this office. The interview was concernedwith Osama bin Ladin video tapes, Iraqi
situation, Japan’s reconstruction efforts inIraq. He kindly accepted my interview, as
the timing was good (Japan’s Self Defense
Force has just been dispatched to Iraq) and it
was the first time for him to be interviewed
by a Japanese woman. The interview wasconducted in English for 40 minutes. The script is an extract of the whole interview. English iskept as originally as possible (i.e. ‘Japan’s Self Defense Force’ is sometimes referred to as‘troops’ or even ‘military’ as it appears to be interpreted as ‘military’ in the Arab world)(Q) Al Jazeera seems to have earned credibility from Osama bin Ladin because he provides you
with video tapes which you run through your TV program. How did you get credibility fromhim and how do you get video tapes from him?
(A) I cannot tell you how we get video tapes. We do not have direct contact or a link with
Osama bin Ladin. Osama bin Ladin, like anyone else, has a message to send out. With Al
Jazeer’s credibility, he believes we provide good communication to the audience, such as toMuslims and Arabs. In the past, when British Prime Minister Tony Blair wanted to discuss andexplain his policy on the Middle East, he chose Al Jazeera to give his statement and to send amessage to the Arab world. The Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi did the same. He chose AlJazeera to communicate with the Arab world to explain his policy of sending Japanese troops toIraq. World leaders and well-known people realize the strength of Al Jazeera because it passes
so many messages to the Arab world. Again there is no link with Osam bin Ladin. We neverknow when he sends us video tapes. If you recall, other tapes were also sent to Al Jazeera,including Saddam Hussein, and sometimes from Iraqi resistance forces.

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(Q) A few days ago, an interview with Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi was broadcast throughAl Jazeera. I watched the interview at my hotel. What is the impact of his interview to the Arabworld?
(A) It is very difficult to say. There has been a question mark in Arab states as to why Japan has
decided to send troops to a country in a hostile environment for the first time in 44 years. Japan
had been hesitant to dispatch its troops overseas for 45 years. Some people say because Japan
was pressured by the US, some people say because it is for a greater contribution tointernational peace, and other people say Japan has an interest in Iraq (i.e. oil) for the benefit ofJapan. But I can tell you this, if the Japanese Prime Minister has sent a clear message that thepurpose of sending Japanese troops is to help stabilize and reconstruct Iraq, not a gesture tosupport US military, his TV appearance in our program would be said to be successful.

(Q) What do you think how the Arab people assess Japan’s decision to send its troops to Iraq?
(A) I think they are waiting to see how the Japanese troops behave on the ground. They are also
waiting to see how the Japanese government reacts to attacks against the Japanese troops. Ithink there is a worry in Tokyo that the Japanese troops may be attacked or subjected to anattack. If this happens, Arab people will see how the Japanese government reacts. Is it going to
be a gun fight between the Japanese force and Iraqi insurgencies involving civilian death, will
the US force be involved in the fight, or will the Japanese troops withdraw from Iraq?
It is important to remember that by international law the American and British forces areoccupation forces. The Japanese troops are also part of the occupation forces. Arab people will
evaluate Japan’s contribution relatively at an early stage. If the Japanese troops recover
infrastructure (electricity, water) and rebuild hospitals and schools, Arab people will highly
evaluate their contribution in Iraq. If security situation in Iraq continues to deteriorate,
reconstruction process is slow and the Japanese military closely works with the US military, theevaluation will be very different from what Japan is hoping for. For now, Arab people are giving
an opportunity to Japan to demonstrate its efforts to reconstruct Iraq. Because Arab states andJapan have a good relationship, the Arab people are prepared to give Japan a benefit of thedoubt to see how Japan can contribute to Iraq.

(Q) There is an opinion by Iraqi people that Japan should dispatch civilians instead of troops
because Iraqis do not generally welcome an occupation force. They welcome civilians such as2

engineers and doctors because Iraqis know that they come to Iraq for reconstructio n purposes,
not occupation purposes, and thus will never attack such people. What do you think about this?
(A) I am not so sure that Japanese civilians will be safe 100%. There are resistances in Iraq who
do not want Iraq to be stabilized The Iraqi situation is very complex. Even 5% of the Iraqi
people who are determined to desterilize the situation may attack Japanese civilians.

Theyknow how to attack and will execute when needed. If it becomes very clear that Japanese troops
are really contributing to the reconstruction of Iraq rather than fighting alongside with the USforce, the Japanese troops will be respected and more welcomed. But I am not 100% for sureJapanese civilians will never be targeted because Iraqi situations is very complex and volatile .

Lastly, I believe that Japan made a brave decision. I hope Japan will manage to stay away frompolitical affairs, security matters and the US military as much as possible and will help
reconstruct even one city of Iraq with Japan’s high technology to show a good example ofJapan’s international contribution. Japan has its own mission to play.

My comment
It has been more than six months since
Japan’s

Self

DefenseForce

wasdispatched to Iraq. Japan’s operation in
Samawa is being more recognized,
however, water and electricity have notfully been recovered and people are still
struggling every day because of lack ofdaily

necessities.

Itwillbe

increasingly important for Japan toknow that what sort of contribution
Japan is expected from Iraq and whatJapan

should

doto

meet

such

expectations. Iraq wants Japan to improve their lives, recover infrastructure and rebuild more
schools and hospitals using Japan’s high technology to the maximum extent. As the state ofadvanced technology, Japan should respond to world’s needs by providing maximum level ofhigh technology. This is what the world is hoping for and Japan’s international contribution
should be.

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