Asked about Abe’s proposal on the eve of his departure to Tokyo, Singh had told the Japanese media that he would like “to gain a better understanding about Prime Minister Abe’s idea of closer cooperation among major democracies in the region”.

While India has an open mind, there is a widespread misperception that Abe was seeking to exclude and isolate China. Abe has sought to dispel this view by making the restoration of normal relations with Beijing his highest diplomatic priority. Beijing was the first foreign destination for Abe after he took over as PM recently and has consciously sought to defuse Sino-Japanese tensions that marked the tenure of his predecessor, Junichrio Koizumi.

China which is the largest trading partner of Japan and will soon acquire a similar standing with India sees no threat from greater cooperation between New Delhi and Tokyo.

Sun Shihai, a leading expert on South Asian affairs told China Daily today that although “India and Japan are increasingly concerned about China’s growth in the region, you can’t simply say the two countries are trying to work together to contain China”.

India, meanwhile, has no reason to be defensive about its vibrant democratic system. That he represents an “open society and an open economy” has been one of the consistent themes in Singh’s articulation of “the idea of India” since became PM.

The notion of shared democratic values figured prominently in Singh’s address today in the Diet, the Japanese Parliament. “We are two major Asian countries who share the universally respected values of freedom, democracy, respect for fundamental human rights and commitment to the rule of law...We must draw on these common values ... And build a strong partnership of the highest mutual importance,” Singh said.

For Abe, the new emphasis on democratic values is part of a conscious effort to overcome the persistent negative legacy of Japanese imperialism and militarism in the region.

As Japan seeks to become a “democratic power”, India has every reason to draw closer to the new Tokyo. Unlike many Asian leaders who are suspicious of Tokyo’s plans to become a normal nation, Singh told the Diet today that Japan must play its “rightful and commensurate role in the emerging international order”.

“Strong ties between India and Japan will be a major factor in building an open and inclusive Asia and in enhancing peace and stability in the Asian region and beyond,” Singh added.

Since the tsunami disaster at the end of 2004, when the navies of India, the US, Australia and Japan worked together to provide relief to the region, the idea of quadrangular cooperation has gained ground among the Asian strategic communities.

However, neither Singh nor Abe want to lend a military colour to their discussion on cooperation among Asian democracies. Rather than dabble with the grandiose idea of an alliance among the region’s democracies, Singh and Abe are at best likely to focus on the potential for political consultation among these nations in promoting regional peace and stability.

TOKYO DIARY

Cold politics

Officials and media alike received weather warnings prior to departure from Delhi that Tokyo would be cold, very cold and therefore needed to be adequately prepared. The contingent from India aboard PM’s special aircraft ensured that these instructions were followed. Overcoats, long coats, gloves, mufflers, all the necessary paraphernalia needed to protect from the so called “biting cold” were only an arms length away only to realise when the PM’s plane touched down, that Delhi’s Palam airport, the point of take off, was much much colder than Tokyo thanks to the cloud cover and showers that kept the city reasonably “warm”. Off went the overcoat that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was seen wearing while getting off the aircraft and today, a simple bandgallah did the needful.

Sushi and Rajnikant

The PM today had a light side to his speech at the diet. While mentioning how Odori Maharaja—for the uninitiated, this means the “dancing” Maharaja, but more importantly refers to Tamil film star Rajnikan—-was famous in Japan, their special dancing robot or Odori Asimo, which was recently displayed in India, was equally famous India. The Japanese Diet understood the light side, but many of the Indians didn’t! He thereon went on to add just as Indian food was popular in Tokyo now, from the number of restaurants that had recently opened up, so was Japanese tempura and sushi back in India. Any takers?