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March 23, 2005
Downer, up from down under
In an update to the earlier noted deployment of additional Australian soliders to Iraq to defend Japanese troops, it seems that Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer paid a visit to Tokyo earlier this week:
In a wide-ranging speech to the Japan Institute for International Affairs (JIIA) following his meeting with Koizumi, Downer said the deployment of an additional 450 Australian troops to maintain security in Muthanna Province and protect GSDF troops there underlined Australia's commitment to its cooperative relationship with Japan.
"We know that the initial decision to deploy defense forces to Iraq was a complex one for Japan, but it was the right decision to make and we're very pleased to be working with Japan, and with other coalition partners, to help Iraq build a better future," he said.
Asked if Australian casualties while guarding Japanese forces would affect the relationship, Downer said, "We'll live with the consequences as Australians of our own decisions and not pass the blame to Japan if that happened."
It's nice to hear Downer say that Australian casualties in Iraq wouldn't affect relations with Japan. Of course, Downer is at an advantage in knowing that Muthanna is one of the safer provinces in Iraq. If, however, Australians were to die in Iraq -- they have yet to lose a soldier in combat, despite being one of the few countries involved in the Iraq war since the initial invasion -- it would cause a stir. The recent deployment of additional troops isn't very popular in Australia, nor is the Japanese deployment in general overwhelmingly popular in that country. If Aussie deaths were linked in the public consciousness to the defense of armed but impotent Japanese soldiers, it very well might have an effect on Australian mass perceptions of Japan and on the relationship between the two countries. So if all of Downer's stoicism is put to a tragic test by unfortunate news from Iraq, public opinion may leave him behind.
Posted by Daniel Widome at 11:16 PM to Asia,
