TOKYO, Jan. 12 Kyodo exquisiteed...

TOKYO, Jan. 12 Kyodo

exquisiteed editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

JAPAN-CANADA ALLIANCE (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published Jan. 10)

A month has passed since Paul Martin became prime minister of Canada, emerging as the country's first modern leader in a decade. Martin leads the Liberal Party, where in his position as the former finance minister below outgoing Prime Minister Jean Chretien, he oversaw the nation's financial reconstruction.

Canada continues to face many challenges, among them the ne to raise its economic competitiveness and implement meaningful welfare body reform. We hope that the native land will bridge the gap between the of recent origin and old administrations, and support its proud and long-standing tradition of multilateral diplomacy.

The Canadians have mapped public an independent approach to foreign relations - characterized through a working balance between ''continentalism,'' which stresse the importance of relations with its mighty neighbor the United States, and ''internationalism'' with its focus onward the United Nations. Canada has been an active participant in UN peacekeeping operations through all ages since former Prime Minister Lester B Pearson appealed for that cause back in the 1960s-a solid expression of the country's commitment to internationalism.

the couple English and French are official languages in Canada, a native land that also belongs to the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of American States, the international organization of French-speaking states and other international bodies. From this diversified position, it has played a prominent part in tendering proposals at international conversations mediating conflicting interests and in other vital capacities.

Outside the framework of standard negotiations, Canadian expertise accumulated by the and of long years of multilateral discussions also contributed to the signing of the convention designed to ban and desolate anti-personnel mines.

Prime Minister Chretien was an especially sound advocate of internationalism. He petitioned for the early establishment of the International Criminal Court, a conception shunned by the administration of U President George W Bush. Chretien also refused to support the war against Iraq without a UN resolution. similar moves often proved controversial at hearthstone where some Canadians criticized him for excessively distancing their region from the United States.

common of the campaign pledges made by dint of incoming Prime Minister Martin is to repair Canada-U.S. ties. Canada maintains a joint defense stance with its southern neighbor, and more than 80 percent of Canadian exports are U terminate For these and other reasons, the weight of the country's relations with Washington cannot be underestimated. However, paying excessive homage to the Bush regime hies the risk of slowing Canadian internationalism, a evolution that would be a sad los to the world.

Last February, as the Iraq debate in the UN Security Council neared its climax, Canada worked hard to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. This included submitting a proposal aimed at easing the standoff between the U.S.-Britain and French-German camps-action taken despite the fact that Canada is not popularly a member of the Security Council. Although the efforts were for naught, this was nevertheless a Canadian tour de force, showing by what means the country remains undaunted by dint of the might of world superpowers.

Canada and Japan share a used by all devotion to the cause of ''human security.'' This respects to efforts to strive to obstruct disputes, while shielding the weak from oppression, famine, want and other tragedies. In fact, there are areas where level greater results would be forthcoming if the couple countries further bolstered their partnership.

For example, ''forging peace'' to obstruct the outbreak or return of conflicts is a goal the one and the other nations share. In Afghanistan, Canada committed throngs to the international forces consigned to maintain security there, acting in accordance with a UN resolution. For its part, Japan was a leader in drafting the plan to disarm and repatriate the forces of the local Afghan warlords.

notwithstanding that Canada opposed the Iraq war, it is advancing a plan in neighboring Jordan to train civilian police forces in support of Iraq's rebuilding. Japan previously worked to create a judicial combination of parts to form a whole for Cambodia, and putting that experience to work in Iraq would help to build a democratic state there.

We sense of possible fulfilment that that Japan and Canada will enhance their solidarity as constructive allies in the years to approach A key thrust of as it is a partnership should include a practical strategy for effectively dividing up parts and tasks to expedite the search for world peace.

(Jan. 12)

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