After another break, time to rock the boat!

北朝鮮、拿捕した中 国漁船を解放 外交 問題化避ける

【北京＝林望】

中国外務省の洪磊副報道 局長は２１日の定例会見で、北朝鮮当局に 拿捕（だほ）されていた中国漁船が同日未 明、解放されたことを明らかにした。北朝 鮮側が要求した６０万元（約１千万円）は 支払われなかったという。中朝双方が外交 問題化するのを避け、決着を図ったとみら れる。 すべての船員が解放され、漁船はすでに 中国側の海域に戻り、操業を再開したとい う。洪副局長は「北朝鮮側が事件について 全面的な調査を行い、説明することを望 む」と述べ、再発防止を求めた。

漁船は５日、操業中に北朝鮮の巡視船に 拿捕された。現場は漁業権などを巡って中 朝間で争いのある海域とみられ、北朝鮮側 は「罰金」の支払いを要求。１０日、船主 からの連絡を受けた中国外務省が北朝鮮政 府に解放を求めていた。

北朝鮮のミサイル発射や核開発を巡る緊 張が続く中、中朝が新たな火種を抱えるこ とを避けることで一致したとの見方が強 い。

http://www.asahi.com/international/update/0521/TKY201305210422.html

North Korea releases seized Chinese fishing boat –avoids issue becoming an diplomatic incident

Hong Lei, deputy public relations chief for the Chinese Foreign Ministry reported at his regularly scheduled interview on the 21 st that the North Korean authorities released a Chinese fishing boat it had seized early in the same morning. The 600,000 yuan (approximately 1 million yen) that the North Koreans had reportedly demanded was not paid. It appears that both sides reached this resolution in order to avoid it becoming a diplomatic incident.

He said that all of the boat’s crew were released and the ship had already returned to Chinese waters and had resumed operations. Lei said, “I hope that North Korea will conduct a full investigation and provide an explanation,” seeking to prevent a reoccurrence.

The ship was seized by a North Korean patrol vessel on the 5 th . It appears that the ship was fishing in waters that have fishing rights disputed by both China and North Korea. The North Koreans demanded payment of a “fine.” On the 10 th , the Chinese Foreign Ministry received contact from the vessel’s owner and then sought its release from the North Korean government.

In the midst of continued tensions with North Korea over its missile firings and nuclear development, it seems quite likely that China and Korea were agreed in seeking to avoid adding more fuel to the fire.

No cheating the sun!

Japan has had its day in WTO court.  I don’t think that means anything for competing with China on the creation of solar panels, but at least the Canadians can no longer unfairly favor their own when it comes to the sale of green power generating components.

カナダとの太陽光紛争、日本勝訴　ＷＴＯで確定
2013.5.7 01:30
　【ジュネーブ＝共同】カナダ・オンタリオ州が太陽光発電などで地元企業を優遇しているのは世界貿易機関（ＷＴＯ）協定に違反するとして、日本と欧 州連合（ＥＵ）が訴えていた通商紛争で、ＷＴＯ紛争処理手続きの「最終審」に当たる上級委員会は６日、日本とＥＵの主張をほぼ支持する報告書を公表した。
　「１審」にあたる昨年１２月の紛争処理小委員会（パネル）に続く日本の勝訴で、事実認定は確定する。
　 日本は２０１０年９月、太陽光パネルなどの輸出で、日本企業が不利な扱いを受けているとしてＷＴＯに提訴。その後、オンタリオ州は地元の部品などの使用率 をさらに引き上げた。このため日本はＷＴＯのパネル設置を要請し、ＥＵも続いた。昨年１２月には、パネルが日本、ＥＵの主張をほぼ認める最終報告書を発 表。カナダ側は上訴し、日本側も上訴していた。

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/economy/news/130507/biz13050701330000-n1.htm

Japan wins in WTO decision in dispute over solar power with Canada
 
The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) appeals committee released its “final ruling” paper in dispute resolution proceedings largely supporting Japan and the European Union’s (EU) position in a trade dispute that Ontario, Canada violated the WTO’s charter in giving preferential treatment to local companies in the solar power industry.

It confirms the facts acknowledged in “First Ruling” in December 2012 of the Dispute Resolution Committee where Japan won.
 
In September 201, Japan submitted a complaint to the WTO claiming that its companies that export solar panels had been unfairly treated.  After this, the province of Ontario raised the required percentage of parts produced locally to be used used. Because of this, Japan requested that the WTO establish a panel to review and the EU joined in the request.  In December of last year, the panel issued a final ruling largely concurring with the assertions of Japan and the EU.  Canada and Japan appealed.

Talking nukes with the Turks

Prime Minister Abe is in Turkey for the last visit of his Middle East tour, and the negotiations all sound great on paper. Still, wondering if Japan is the best country to be talking about exporting nuclear power right now…

原発受注、政府間合意へ 日本トルコ 首脳会談
2013/5/3 20:34
【アンカラ＝佐藤賢】安倍晋三首相は３ 日、トルコのアンカラでエルドアン首相と 会談した。黒海沿岸シノプでの原子力発電 所の建設を巡りトルコ政府が日本に優先交 渉権を与えることで合意する。両政府は日 本の原発輸出を可能にする原子力協定と、 シノプに原発を建設する土地をトルコが無 償で日本側に提供することなど政府間協力 を定めた協定に調印する。

原発建設に関する政府間合意を結ぶこと で、三菱重工業と仏アレバ連合の受注が事 実上確定する。東京電力福島第１原発事故 の後、日本勢による初の海外受注案件で、 日本の原発輸出に弾みがつきそうだ。総事 業費は２兆円規模。出力は４基で450万キ ロワット程度となる見通しだ。2023年まで に第１号機の稼働を目指す。

原子力協定は核の不拡散や原発の安全利 用と２国間で確認し、原発輸出の前提とな る。トルコの原発計画は日中韓とカナダの メーカーが受注を目指して激しく競ってき たが、技術力や信頼性、価格などで日本勢 の評価が上回った。

両首相は両国関係を「戦略的パートナー シップ」に格上げする共同宣言に署 名。(1)インフラ整備や医療、農業、人工衛 星打ち上げの協力(2)次官級協議の枠組みを 格上げし、外相の定期協議を開催(3)防衛当 局間の協議促進――を盛り込んだ。

共同研究を進めている経済連携協定（Ｅ ＰＡ）の交渉開始に向けた検討推進や、社 会保障協定の交渉促進で一致。北朝鮮問題 や中東情勢に関する連携も申し合わせる。 日本の首相のトルコ訪問は06年１月の小 泉純一郎氏以来、約７年ぶり。

http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASFS0301N_T00C13A5MM8000/? dg=1
Agreement between governments on accepting orders for nuclear power at Japan-Turkey leadership meeting

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan in Ankara, Turkey on the 3 rd . The Turkish government agreed to give priority negotiating rights to Japan for the construction of a nuclear power plant at Sinop on the shore of the Black Sea. Both governments signed an agreement on cooperation with regard to a further agreement on Japan exporting nuclear technology as well as Turkey offering land for free in Sinop for the construction site of the nuclear power plant.

With regard to the agreement on construction of the nuclear power plant, a joint venture of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and French company Areva will receive the orders. After the accident at Tepco’s Fukushima Daiichi reactor, this is the first overseas order for Japanese nuclear technology and it seems like Japanese nuclear exports might begin to gain momentum. The total cost of construction will be around 2 trillion yen. The generating capacity with 4 units is estimated to be 4,500,000 kilowatts. The first reactor is planned to come online in 2023.

The agreement on nuclear power confirmed between the two countries focuses on nuclear non-proliferation and safety in nuclear power as prerequisites for the export of nuclear technology. There was fierce competition among Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Canadian nuclear power makers for orders in Turkey’s nuclear power program but the Japanese were judged to be the best in terms of technology, reliability, and cost. The leaders issued a joint statement promoting relations between their countries to a “Strategic Partnership.” 3 points were included: (1) Cooperation on infrastructure, medicine, agriculture, and space technology; (2) upgrade the structure of ministerial discussions to begin regular foreign minister discussions; and (3) advance discussions between both countries’ militaries.

They also agreed to continue discussions on beginning negotiations on an economic partnership agreement and advance discussions on joint social security discussions. They also want to continue cooperation on the North Korean problem and the situation in the Middle East. Abe's visit to Turkey is the first by a Japanese prime minister since Koizumi visited in 2006.