December, 2000
Study Group for Islam
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
Japan

Policy Goals toward Enhancing Relationship
Between Japan and the World of Islam in the 21st Century
(Summary)

Despite the fact that a significant proportion of the world population, namely more than one fifth of it, believe in Islam, the understanding of Islam in Japan has not achieved the required level. Taking into account this fact, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan established “the study Group for Islam” in the Ministry, under the initiative of H.E. Mr. Yohei Kono, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and has discussed a wide-range of issues surrounding Islam through seven sessions of the Study Group. Below shows tentative outcome of the Study Group.

1. Basic Recognition
   1. Necessity for deepening the understanding of Islam within Japan
      The understanding about Islam among the Japanese people in general has not achieved necessary accuracy and adequacy.
      Islam nowadays tends to be interpreted in various meanings because of its diversified presence in political and economic aspects. Though the overwhelming majority of Muslims dedicate themselves to peaceful worship and social activities, radical trends toward the fundamentalism and terrorism are also witnessed.
      Islam should be understood through analyzing sources of those radical trends and eliminating inaccuracy in grasping Islam merely form such trends, in order to enhance the mutual understanding between Japan and Islamic countries.

   2. Necessity for further consideration of Isam in Japan's external relations
      Some might argue that Japan has not given enough consideration to Islam in some aspects though it promotes dialogue with many countries. Japan, because it has fortunately not experienced clash against Islamic civilization, has not cultivated discriminatory prejudices on Islam.
      Islam is a religion that dictates a wide range of human activities and thus is one of the most important factors to be thought over when relations among states are handled. While Islam has spread world-wide beyond the Middle East, its implications and positions in each country indicate respectively diversified particularities. Since Islam has been developing its significance in Southeast Asian countries, with which Japan enjoys strong ties in every aspect, the necessity for Japan to enhance its understanding on Islam is increasing in its attempt to correctly manage the relationship with those countries.
      In this respect, Japan should promote its relations with Islamic countries, based upon accurate understanding of Islam and in-depth analyses of its implications in those countries.

2. Discussions in the Study Group
   1. Islam in the World History
      The world history taught in Japan and western countries today is based on the history of the Western world, in particular Western Europe. Though, in such a history, the Middle East and Islam has been regarded as a periphery, it should be noted that the Middle East and Islam affected the formation of philosophy, thoughts and culture of the western world. Though Islam’s influence has decreased over time due to shifts in power balance and structural changes in the world history, the possibility of recovering the vitality of Islam should be comprehensively investigated to understand its actual position in the world history.

   2. Islam in the contemporary international community
      Though the image that Islam solely a warlike religion has been established in the world today due to residual influence of the traditional way of thinking in Western Europe, the majority of Muslims just like followers of other religions and ideologies are peace-loving people. Islam should be understood though taking note of the plurality in its meanings.

   3. Framework of legal system in Islamic countries
      Since in Islam, human communities or societies are supposed to be administered by the interpretation of Islamic Law (al-Shariah), the codification of laws, particularly that of commercial and civil laws, is a difficult work in Islamic system. Hence, problems such as inadequate transparency in the commercial and civil legal systems should be well understood before how to communicate with the private sectors of Islamic countries is being considered.

   4. States in Islam
      The position and function of law, community and state in Islam are different form those of modern nation-states in Western Europe. A state in Islam is regarded as an organization aiming at the administration of Islamic community (al-Ummah al-Islamiyyah) formed to protect the provisions of al-Shariah. Upon promoting relations with Islamic countries, it should be fully understood that their activities would be restricted by the provisions of al-Shariah, unlike modern nation-states in Western Europe.

   5. Economy in Islam
      In Islam, activities, which could serve the development of manufacturing industries such as long-term capital investments, are not popular, although commercial activities are by nature encouraged and individual commercial activities are skillfully conducted. In Islam, because the interest on loans is forbidden, the application of Islamic banking systems, which are expected to operate no-interest finances to the world economy and international financial market, is pursued.

   6. Relationship between Japan and Islam
      Though Japan’s contact with Islam has long been accumulated since pri.War era in various aspects through numerous outputs of Islamic and West Asian researches, the understanding of Islam among Japanese people has not achieved its expected level. It is necessary to promote the understanding of Islam among the Japanese people through measures such as enhanced exchanges of people, extensive distribution of products of Islamic researches and the enhancement of education on international affairs at primary and secondary levels.

3. Some Proposals for the Policy
   1. Expansion of research on Islam in the MOFA and the utilization of its outcome in formulation of foreign policies
      • To continue the Study Group in the MOFA or other related institutions, making use of outputs of other researches in Japan and this Study Group, to deepen discussions on how to promote Japan’s relationship with Islamic countries and how to take necessary measures to this end.
      • To extend discussions to whole government and other various strata in Japan, through establishing for a to exchange views on how to promote its relations with Islamic countries.
      • To establish systems in the MOFA for utilizing outcomes of this Study Group in formulating actual foreign policies.
   2. Exchange of youths and scholars with Islamic countries
      • To further vitalize exchange of people through fully utilizing existing programs for people’s exchange and invitation.
      • To establish institutional framework of exchange of people, attaching a particular importance to exchange of youths and taking note of the necessity of cooperation form Islamic countries in this point.
   3. Knowledge of Islam in educational systems
      • To promote educational systems in which people can achieve accurate knowledge of Islam incrementally form primary to higher levels of education.
      • To consider provision of assistance for publishing teaching materials, by closely observing the progress of educational systems and the development of information and communication technologies.
   4. Establishment of Internet Home Page about Islam
      • To establish an Internet Home Page and a database about Islam, working in closer cooperation with on-going research programs sponsored by the Ministry of Education of Japan.
      • To enhance distribution of the outcome of this Study Group and information related to the Japan-Islam relations in English and/or Arabic languages, and to make close contact with scholars and research institutions overseas.
   5. Promotion of Dialogue with Islam toward “the Dialogue among Civilizations”
      • To take into account the importance of dialogue with Islam as a part of the attempt to promote dialogue with various civilizations, with commencement of “UN Year of the Dialogue among Civilizations” in 2001.
      • To widen bases for dialogue with Islamic civilizations through enhancing understanding of Islam, alongside with enhanced understanding of Japan abroad, and through enhancing exchange of scholars and intellectuals, by such measures as the holding of symposia in Islamic countries, for example.