Former envoy to the WTO, Nobutoshi Akao, has been appointed the new Japanese ambassador here. Thailand has urged Japan to upgrade and use existing training centres for capacity building of its neighbouring countries. Japan has also expressed interest in helping several Thai-initiated venture funds. The upcoming G8 meeting, which is scheduled for July 21-23 in Okinawa, will give Japan the opportunity to present itself as the key representative voice of Asia. Tokyo wants to capitalise on its role during the economic crisis in the past two years and emphasise the importance of its ties with Southeast Asia and East Asia.
Japan has an extra axe to grind.
It is eager to avoid the past mistake of failing to represent Asia at one of the world's most important summit meetings. Many leaders in the region can still recall the embarrassment of the G-7 summit in Tokyo in 1993. Indeed, Obuchi is more receptive and forceful than his predecessors to Asian voices and concerns, whether it is a big country like China, or a small island in the Pacific. He knows full well that to speak on behalf of Asia in the international forum, he must be accepted by its leaders. In his own way, he has established personal rapport with the Asean leaders, especially China and South Korea.