German in Japan

Guido Westerwelle's visit to Japan and China is his first trip to Asia since he became Germany's foreign minister last autumn.

In Tokyo, the first stop on his four-day trip, Westerwelle met his Japanese counterpart, Katsuya Okada, and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

Leaders of both countries pledged to collaborate in gaining permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council, which Westerwelle said “should better represent the 21st century.”

Disarmament

Westerwelle and Hatoyama also discussed climate change and international efforts towards nuclear disarmament.

"Disarmament is the central question of our time,” Westerwelle told reporters. “Germany wants it, Japan wants it too. The question now is what we can achieve together on the international stage."

Also on the agenda for his talks with Hatoyama and Japanese foreign minister Katsuya Okada were Afghanistan and Iran.

Both Japan and Germany have said they will concentrate on civilian reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.

Germany currently has about 4,500 soldiers in Afghanistan. Japan, whose pacifist constitution forbids participation in combat missions, pledged 3.5 billion euros ($5 billion) to Kabul in November to help with its reconstruction efforts.

China next on trip

On Friday Westerwelle travels on to Beijing, where he is expected to address a range of topics with Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, focusing on economic and human rights issues.

The way Westerwelle deals with the latter will be a barometer of his diplomatic abilities, after he voiced "deep concern" with Beijing following the sentencing of China's leading dissident. Liu Xiaobo to 11 years in prison over protests against the one-party political system and rights abuses in the country.

After the sentencing Westerwelle called on China to do more to protect human rights and also to "continue along the path of openness and modernization".

It remains to be seen, however, how aggressively Westerwelle will express his opinions in Beijing on Friday.

Further challenges

Inevitably Westerwelle will also want to discuss economic partnership – and competition – between Germany and China.

As recently as last week, it was reported that the People's Republic had overtaken German to become the new world leader in exports, a position Germany had held for years.

Also, after the United States, China is Germany's largest market outside Europe, with the two countries exchanging some 113 billion euros in 2008. And in the face of the ongoing global economic crisis, China is a ray of hope for Germany, as it has maintained unmatched growth throughout the worldwide recession.

German economics minister, Rainer Bruederle, said last week on a visit to Beijing that key economic partnerships were being forged between Germany and China focusing on climate change.

China also continues to struggle with the problem of widespread pollution. German energy technology could provide vital assistance in this area.

acb/smh/Reuters/dpa
Editor: Michael Lawton