Japan Taking Own Road in Asia, Baker Finds : Policy: Differences with U.S. on Myanmar and defense are stressed at talks in Malaysia.

Secretary of State James A. Baker III arrived Tuesday for a meeting of Southeast Asian nations at which Japan is emphasizing more than ever before its differences with the United States, both on human rights questions and on defense policy.

At the annual conference of the Assn. of Southeast Asian Nations, Japan seized the initiative by proposing an enhanced security role for ASEAN--a suggestion that met with a cool response from the United States.

“It is something I think we ought to take a look at,” Baker said of the Japanese idea.

Only a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable for Japan to make any proposal on defense or security in Southeast Asia without first obtaining the endorsement of the United States.

All six ASEAN countries--Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines--were invaded or occupied by Japanese troops during World War II. Japan now has far more trade and investment with the ASEAN countries, and contributes much more aid to them, than does the United States.

On Tuesday, Japan went its own way once again, refusing to back a U.S. initiative to have ASEAN take tough action against violations of human rights in Myanmar, formerly Burma.

In recent days, the United States has urged Southeast Asian countries to join together in condemning Myanmar and in trying to pressure the military regime to open the way for a democratically elected government to take office. Leaders from governments such as Thailand and the Philippines balked, saying they favor a much less confrontational approach, which they call “constructive engagement.”

On Tuesday, Japan weighed in with a public statement strongly sympathizing with the Southeast Asian states and condemning the American approach.

“Pure pressure sometimes invites a negative response from some kinds of countries,” Japanese spokesman Makoto Yamanaka said.

Looking at a Western reporter who had asked about Myanmar, he said, “That may not satisfy you, but perhaps our Asian friends here understand.”

Japan has been trying to carve out for itself the role of principal protector of Southeast Asia in international affairs. Yamanaka said Japan had tried to present the viewpoint of the Southeast Asian nations to the leaders of the world’s seven leading industrialized democracies at last week’s economic summit in London.

“This expansion of the Japanese political role in the Asia Pacific region has caused anxiety and concern among other countries as to how far our role would expand and whether or not it would take on military dimensions,” Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Nakayama told ASEAN members this week.

He proposed that each summer, before the ASEAN leaders meet with foreign governments, they hold a regular meeting of senior officials to discuss questions of security and defense.

This would enable Japan, he said, “to listen to the anxieties and concerns that other countries in Asia express regarding our foreign policy orientation and objectives and, in turn, for Japan to provide our neighbors in Asia with direct, forthright explanations of our thinking.”

Over the last two years, a number of governments, including Australia and Canada, have suggested the creation of a new Asian security organization, along the lines of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. The Bush Administration has said repeatedly that it does not believe there is any need for a new Asian security grouping because the current setup dominated by the United States works well.

“The United States--its military presence, its commitment, its reassurance--has been the balancing wheel of an informal, yet highly effective security structure for more than four decades,” Undersecretary of State Robert B. Zoellick told the meeting Monday.

On Tuesday, Southeast Asian officials met with Nakayama and, by Japan’s own admission, chose not to endorse his proposal. Yamanaka, the Japanese spokesman, said ASEAN countries “would like to take some time to study it. . . . Mr. Nakayama said he did not expect a quick response.”

On the subject of human rights, Zoellick on Monday said the United States considers Myanmar to be a “cancer of instability” in Southeast Asia. “All of us need to call for and work for the release of political prisoners and the transfer of authority to the elected civilian leaders of Burma,” he said.

A number of Myanmar’s Southeast Asian neighbors have continued to do business with its military leadership, particularly Thailand. “We cannot change them by putting pressure on them,” Thai Foreign Minister Arsa Sarasin said.

BACKGROUND

Long known as Burma, the Asian country officially changed its name to Myanmar in June, 1989. Since September, 1988, it has been ruled by a military government, headed by Gen. Saw Maung. Although the government allowed elections in May of 1990, it has refused to relinquish its grip. In fact, Myanmar’s major opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy won a landslide victory, has been under house arrest for two years. The Bush Administration is imposing trade sanctions against Myanmar for not making enough progress in curbing narcotics traffic and easing political repression.