Japanese editorial excerpts -2-

Japan Policy & Politics, March 1, 2004

TOKYO, Feb. 23 Kyodo

Selected editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

REAL LEADERSHIP FOR EUROPE (The Japan Times, an English-language daily)

As European governments wrestle with the problems of an enlarged European Union, it is becoming increasingly clear that there are no easy answers. Despite nearly two years of preparation, a constitutional convention ended in stalemate last year. Last week, ''the big three'' -- Germany, France and Britain -- tried to provide some direction for the future and only raised concerns about leadership and the possibility of dividing the union. Fears of a two-speed Europe are understandable, but a failure to streamline decision-making will ensure that the EU does not move at all. Real leadership must be earned: Europe's big three has a long way to go.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair met last week in Berlin to find common ground for cooperation on economic policy. They have good reasons to coordinate. Four years ago in Lisbon, EU leaders agreed to turn the union into the world's leading economic area by 2010.

Yet today, per capita productivity is still about 20 percent lower in Europe than in the United States. Economies throughout the region are lagging; unemployment in both Germany and France tops 9 percent. The statement released following their conclave noted that ''the stark reality today is that unless urgent action is taken by all member states to secure a significant improvement in the rate of employment growth, Europe will fail to meet the targets.''

Coordination on the part of Berlin, Paris and London makes sense. Those three governments represent nearly half the population of the union and account for more than half its wealth. The Franco-German axis has traditionally been the motor of European integration. Although Britain was a latecomer to the European project, it has proven indispensable to EU progress. London's ties to the U.S. ensure that Europe maintains an Atlantic outlook.

Yet the meeting of the three -- the third in six months -- has created unease in other European capitals. There is fear of a ''directoire'' that would impose its own agenda on the EU. Typically, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was the most direct, calling the meeting ''a big mess.'' His foreign minister, Mr. Franco Frattini, was equally blunt. ''More Europe -- and a more united Europe -- is what is needed, not a multitrack Europe moving along different paths.'' Mr. Schroeder responded directly to those fears, saying the meeting ''is not about trying to dominate anyone, let alone Europe.''

Given the divisions among the three, there is probably little to worry about. There is an ever shifting alignment among the three governments on key EU issues -- ranging from the future constitution to the admission of Turkey. But there is little substantive agreement on how to tackle the main topics in last week's meeting -- reforms in taxation, social policy and labor markets. France remains committed to the idea of ''national champions,'' a concept increasingly difficult to reconcile with 21st century economic reality.

Even without the unity that tends to alarm their European partners, increasing coordination among the three governments is vital to Europe's future. The big three may not be able to direct Europe, but Europe will certainly remain directionless if they fail to close ranks. They have been bitterly divided over the proper approach to Iraq. It has become clear in the months since the Iraq war that Europe needs Britain, just as the U.S. needs Europe. There can be no deep divides, either in the middle of the Atlantic or in the English Channel.

But the prerequisite for a European role in the world is a resumption of economic dynamism. The three leaders want to reshuffle the European Commission so that it can adjust economic policy as needed with a higher priority on industry and innovation. At their meeting in Berlin, they called for creating a vice presidential post on the European Commission to focus on economic reform. The new office would oversee the work of commissioners now in charge of the internal market, environment, trade and industry. That drew a mixed reaction from other European governments. The mere fact that the suggestion -- no matter how intelligent -- originated at the meeting has cooled enthusiasm in the rest of the EU.

That is the wrong response to a good idea. Europe needs reform. Rhetorical commitments are easy to make, but hard to keep, as Europe already well knows. If the big three really want to demonstrate their commitment to leadership, they should consider setting the right example. For starters, Berlin and Paris could honor the stability pact on budget discipline instead of flouting it. That would be real leadership.

(Feb. 23)