It has been 20 years since Mr. Toshiki Kaifu first visited the fledgling democracy of Mongolia as Prime Minister of Japan. This visit led to Japan and Mongolia deepening ties and to building a solid partnership in a wide range of fields, including politics, economics and academia. Recognizing these important developments, Japan's new Ambassador to Mongolia (from September 1), Mr. Takenori Shimizu, recently paid a courtesy call on Former Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu. Both men are graduates of Chuo University and at their meeting on September 30 spoke about future bilateral relations and expectations for students.

"Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu became the foundation of relations between the two countries"

Shimizu:

Recently, I was appointed Ambassador to Mongolia and this will be my fourth appointment in Mongolia. In fact, when you visited Mongolia in 1991, I was undertaking my second appointment in the country as an official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Even now, I vividly recall my excitement about the fact that you are my senior in university and could come to the country while I was serving there. Moreover, your visit led to rapid development in the relationship between Japan and Mongolia, so I am also truly grateful as a person who specializes in Mongolia.

Kaifu:

At the time of that visit, I was deeply impressed by a gift horse I received from the then President Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat. That was a prized horse that had won in Naadam (the national sports festival of Mongolia). I heard that in Mongolia, a horse is a really considerable gift. However, although I was very grateful, I had no place to keep the horse if I brought it back to Japan, so I thought it would be very unfortunate for the horse. Therefore, when I returned I just brought back its reins.

Shimizu:

That horse was named Kaishun. Kai is from your family name and Shun is from Japanese word Shunme that means fleet horse. After that visit and before I was appointed to the Japanese embassy in Washington in 1998 I also paid you visit. On that occasion, I was introduced to your oldest son's wife, who I had also worked with when I was in Canada.

Kaifu:

Yes, that's right. I am not sure whether it was that time or when we met in Mongolia, but I remember your face very well.

Shimizu:

Thank you. It was due to the efforts of various people that the relationship between Mongolia and Japan developed in a favorable fashion, but recently, there has been increasing activity around the mineral resources of Mongolia to win these rights, such as by Russia, America and Brazil. Japan must make sure not to fall behind in this movement, so I feel that this will be my biggest job as Ambassador to Mongolia. I hope that I can continue to count on your support.

Kaifu:

I understand. It seems that China also has an interest in these mineral resources. When I visited Mongolia, the country had a very deep relationship with Russia, but recently, it appears that China is really focusing on developing relations with Mongolia.

Shimizu:

Yes, you're right. In terms of its economy, 80% of Mongolia's trade was with Russia in the 1990s, but now 70% is with China and the amount of this financial assistance has also risen greatly. However, the people of Mongolia have been undergoing the process of democratization since 1990, which is to say that they remember well that it was Japan that gave them assistance when they most needed it. In the recent Great East Japan Earthquake, the Mongolian government held an extraordinary meeting of the Cabinet the day after the quake and pledged to send an emergency aid group and a million dollars as emergency aid. Furthermore, not only did government workers across the country agree to donate one day's wages for the disaster, a great many ordinary people also held fundraising activities. At this point, over 300 million yen has been collected.

"The people of Mongolia have strong compassion"

Kaifu:

I am really happy to hear you say that. My visit to Mongolia was the first as Prime Minister of Japan and it was also the first by a leader from the West after democratization, so it was an extremely good thing. When I visited the country again some years later, I was eating a meal at a restaurant when I could hear a horse's cry. As I was wondering what was happening, I saw that Kaishun, my horse, had been brought to me by the people taking care of him. I was once again deeply moved by the consideration for me. I thought that this could truly be called heart-to-heart communication. The people of Mongolia have strong compassion, or perhaps I should say an emotional heart. I think their mentality is similar to that of Japanese people.

Shimizu:

Mongolians and Japanese share various aspects, such as the grammar of our languages and Mongolian birthmarks, and I feel there are also racial connections. If you visit again and again, it is easy to become friends with Mongolians, then you will also get to go drinking and singing with them. It really feels like returning to one's hometown.

Kaifu:

Even with important government officials, if we become close, they treat me like I am a relative. I also became friendly with Dashiin Byambasuren, who was Prime Minister in 1990, and afterwards we talked about various things. I think that now, alongside President George Bush, he is a man that makes communications from the heart. In particular, the impression that remains with me today is his words: "Our country is surrounded and watched over by China and the Soviet Union, but we have pride in the flourishing pivot point." When I asked, "What is the pivot point?" he replied, "That is Japan." From Japan's perseverance they, too, can hold their heads up high, he said.

Shimizu:

Yes, that truly sounds like the feelings that the people of Mongolia hold. Mongolian people seem to think that people among their race crossed over the sea to become Japanese and now persevere with the best. Therefore, Japan's economic prosperity, which is envied all over the world, as well as the fact that Japanese people maintain their own history and culture, are delighted in by the Mongolian people. I have also heard this kind of thing from many important people in the country.

"Toward further cooperation, I have high hope for you."

Kaifu:

I heard that Chuo University, both of our alma maters, especially the Faculty of Science and Engineering, has a great deal of enthusiasm about promoting exchanges with the National University of Mongolia. On the occasion on your appointment, I hope to be able to cooperate with you.

Shimizu:

That is really great to hear, I would really welcome your help. It is surprisingly not very well known, but Mongolians are a people that really excel at math. In recent years in Mongolia there have been an increasing number of people who are studying overseas in Japan and China. In particular, students of science and technology are leaving the country to become excellent engineers at Japanese universities. Recently, Japanese companies have also started to take notice of this and I think that is really making progress in all fields of science and technology. Moreover, with China to the south and Russia to the north, there is a large market here, so if Japanese technology and Mongolian excellence in science and technology are combined, this may produce significant results. With these expectations, I hope to give extensive support to the partnerships between the universities. If possible, I would like my alma mater and Mongolia to develop strong ties.

Kaifu:

In terms of personnel, of course, and recently, there has also been a great deal of attention on Mongolia as a producer of mineral resources. So I also hear reports about discoveries of the latest and newest mineral resources. Mongolia is becoming a new spot people cannot take their eyes from in various aspects.

Shimizu:

Absolutely. With the investment of a Canadian company, a fairly large copper mine is already in operation. Furthermore, at present, activity has started in earnest to develop the Tavan Tolgoi coal mining area, which is said to hold the world's largest reserves of the coking coal. Japan is also attempting to participate in this development, so I think this will become my biggest job after I take office.

Kaifu:

I think Mongolia has expectations for the technological strength of Japan. I expect that there are many Japanese companies that can provide equipment for surveys and mining.

Shimizu:

I think you are exactly right. A long time ago, in the Yuan dynasty, merchants from around the world used to gather in Karakorum. Nowadays, resource development companies, financial firms and securities companies throughout the world come to Mongolia in search of possibilities in all fields. Mongolia is moving from being a remote and distant country to one that has been opened up and where the people of the world gather. I think we can say that the current bearing of fruits has been assisted by Japanese efforts over the last 20 years.

"I hope young people also actively shift their focus to countries overseas"

Shimizu:

Mr. Kaifu, you have already been active in the political world for nearly 50 years, haven't you? For students of Chuo University, the tireless efforts you made rising to the position of Prime Minister of Japan are a great encouragement.

Kaifu:

If that is the case, it makes me very happy. I was asked to give a message to graduates on the occasion of their graduation ceremony, but although it was only a simple statement, I think it was a good one. "During your student days, study!" After you have graduated you can get to do what you want to do, and if you want to become a politician, you can come to see me. However, I cannot really say that I have much to be proud about my own student days (laughs).

Shimizu:

Speaking of university, I graduated from the Faculty of Law, but in fact I failed the bar examination. When I was considering what to do next, I thought that I would like to try going somewhere overseas. After taking the Ministry of Foreign Affairs profession examination, my Chinese, which I had studied from my third year, bore fruit and luckily I was accepted. After entering the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I studied overseas for two years. In my first year, I went to England to learn Mongolian in English and then in my second year I got the opportunity to study Mongolian in Mongolia. That was how I started my career.

Kaifu:

Are there many ambassadors who also graduated from Chuo University?

Toshiki Kaifu
The 76th and 77th Prime Minister of Japan

Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1931. After entering Chuo University in 1951, he transferred to the Faculty of Law, Waseda University and graduated in 1954. In 1960, he was elected as the youngest member of the Lower House in the country. First joined the cabinet as the Minister of Education in 1976. He was inaugurated as the 76th Prime Minister of Japan in 1989. In 1991, he became the first person to visit China and Mongolia as Japanese Prime Minister and the first Western leader to visit following the Tiananmen Square Incident. Retired from politics in 2009. Currently, President of the Japan Mongolia Cross Link Association, an adviser to Global Environment Action, and adviser to the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies.

Takenori Shimizu
Ambassador to Mongolia

Born in Oita Prefecture in 1952. After graduating from the Faculty of Law in Chuo University in 1975, joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Served as the Director of the Health and Welfare Division and the Director of Multilateral Cultural Cooperation Division. As a counselor of the Japanese Embassy in Mongolia, he made great efforts with the activities of Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects, which provides assistance for school repairs in rural Mongolia. In 2005 he was awarded for his distinguished service in the field of education from the Education, Science and Culture Ministry in Mongolia. He has held his current position since September 1, 2011.

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