[hang nadim]Najib arrives in Tokyo

Updated: Tuesday April 20, 2010 MYT 8:37:08 PM
Najib conferred honorary doctorate by Meiji University

TOKYO: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak received Tuesday an Honorary Doctorate from the Meiji University.

Meiji University President Hiromi Naya conferred the honorary degree on Najib at a special ceremony at the university here this morning.

Present were Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim who is the acting Foreign Minister and Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Datuk Shaharuddin Md Som.


Najib with Rosmah after the conferment of the Honorary Doctorate from the Meiji University Tuesday.

In his acceptance speech, Najib said he felt honoured to be conferred the honorary doctorate from the Meiji University, a university that was held in a very high esteem in Japan for its many contributions and sterling achievements. He said he strongly believed that Malaysia and Japan can engage in various initiatives at different levels to achieve mutual benefit and shared goals. "First, both nations can foster closer understanding and collaboration through smart partnership, academic engagements and corporate joint ventures.

"Secondly, we can share resources to create value in an open innovation ecosystem that will benefit both countries at various levels.

"For example, there can be increased student and staff mobility between universities engaging in innovative projects in various areas of concern that will benefit all parties," he said.

He said in addition, both countries could extend the existing framework such as the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) with the Malaysian Vice Chancellors Council on areas of importance such as sustainability and innovative technology.

Najib said another initiative could be to revisit the idea of the establishment of Malaysia Japan University as a symbol of their renewed commitment in bilateral relations and in the quest for a more vibrant and dynamic ecosystem for intellectual collaboration.

"Nevertheless the success of this endeavour hinges upon our mutual commitment to move forward," he added.

He said the Japanese government has long supported Malaysian academics resulting in high-impact academic collaboration and joint research, while encouraging the mobility of experts between the countries for many years.

In addition, he said, Japanese companies such as Hitachi and Panasonic had also provided scholarships and fellowships for higher degrees and joint research projects.

"In relation to this, I am happy to announce that Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, one of the top tier universities in Malaysia, will be setting up a UTM Tokyo Satellite Office based in Meiji University which will further enhance the academic ties and research collaborations already existing between our two nations in areas of concern," he said.

He said through Research University Collaborations, nations could be linked through effective engagements in pertinent research areas that would contribute to knowledge and expertise in relevant fields such as sustainability and innovation as well as other economic and socio-environmental issues currently impacting the world.

The Prime Minister said at the same time, Malaysia was committed to provide facilities and incentives to welcome Japanese research companies to set up operation in Malaysia.

"We are ready to create a more vibrant and fertile research environment that would support a more creative and innovative investment ecosystem, contributing to the synergistic well being of both nations," Najib said.

He also said that the Look East Policy, which was now entering its 28th year, had managed to become a magnet attracting Japanese companies to invest and to set up their businesses and bases in Malaysia.

These investments, he said, had allowed Malaysia to move up the ladder to become an upper middle income nation within the space of a decade.

He said Malaysia and Japan were two old friends and their friendship was an enduring relationship predicated upon a common and mutual worldview.

"Ours is not a relationship of fair weather friends, it is one that has withstood the test of time over the years as both nation work on the possibilities rather than being fixated by the past," he said.

He said Malaysia was indeed appreciative of Japan's participation in Malaysia's progress and development over the years.

Najib also said that Japan could play a pivotal role in helping Malaysia's transformation from an industrial economy to an innovation economy.

He said in the field of education through the Look East Policy more than 15,000 Malaysians have benefited, a big number of them engineers and professionals that graduated from universities in Japan, with many of them currently occupying mid to high level positions in the public and private sectors in Malaysia.

He said Malaysia could indeed benefit from a much broader education, human resources and capacity building cooperation, especially between institutions of higher learning.

He said their collaborations must take their relationship to new heights.

"The synergy can create new avenues of cooperation not only in science and technology but also in the cultural milieu.

"For as much as Malaysia can learn from Japan's strength in terms of science and technological advancement, Japan can also gain from Malaysia's diverse expertise; from oceanography to forestry, from palm oil to tropical medicine, and from Islamic finance to multi-cultural engagement," he said.

Najib who is currently on a four-day official visit to Japan since Sunday had earlier had a breakfast meeting with Japanese parliamentarians at the New Otani Hotel here.

After the conferment ceremony, he was slated to address the Japanese business community at a luncheon held at the same hotel, attend a closed door roundtable meeting with Japanese captains of industry, and a dinner with Malaysians and Malaysian students before leaving for home. - Bernama

Monday April 19, 2010
PM’s meeting with Obama opens new chapter in ties
WASHINGTON: It took the threat of nuclear terrorism for them to meet but Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and President Barack Obama seized the window of opportunity to propel bilateral relations to a new level.

On the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit called by Obama, who wants to rein in unsecured nuclear materials beyond the reach of terror groups, the two leaders held their first ever bilateral talks that were closely followed by administration officials and the private sector of both sides.

Sworn in 10 weeks apart last year, Najib and Obama vaulted over the sometimes bumpy relations under their predecessors to nudge ties back on track.

Acting Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, who accompanied Najib here, spoke of “the positive body language” of the two leaders when they met and their discussions on various issues.

Najib said he looked forward to the re-engagement of Malaysia by the Obama administration and that he expected an exciting phase of relations ahead. “This visit has indeed opened a new chapter in Malaysia-US cooperation,” Najib told Malaysian journalists.

His bilateral meeting with Obama raised eyebrows because he was among the dozen leaders whom Obama met privately out of the 46 he invited for the two-day summit, and the only one from the six South-East Asian countries present.

Najib saw his meeting with Obama as a clear indication of Washington’s new attitude towards Malaysia.

“America has not always chosen the path of engagement. But now, I believe that with President Obama, the United States has regained its moral leadership in the world,” Najib told a gathering organised by the Asia Society in New York.

Washington’s welcome of Najib included a lunch for a select group of summit leaders hosted by vice-president Joe Biden at his residence and a trip to Capitol Hill for lunch with Howard Berman, chairman of the foreign affairs committee. — Bernama
Monday April 19, 2010
Najib arrives in Tokyo for four-day visit

PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak arriving in Tokyo last night to begin his four-day official visit to Japan.

He and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor touched down at Haneda International Airport at 8pm (7pm Malaysian time).

Boosting relations: Najib and Rosmah arriving at the Haneda International Airport yesterday. — Bernama

They were received by Acting Foreign Minister and Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim and Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Datuk Shaharuddin Md Som.

Najib and Rosmah will be staying at the State Guest House, Akasaka Palace.

The Prime Minister has a hectic two-day schedule ahead starting with a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Yukio Hatoyama, an audience with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, and meetings with Japanese business leaders.

He will also be conferred an honorary doctorate from Meiji University



Dasar Pandang Ke Timur perlu disemak - PM

Najib Tun Razak berjabat tangan dengan rakan sejawatannya, Dr. Yukio Hatoyama pada majlis kunjungan hormat di Rumah Kerajaan di Tokyo, semalam. Turut sama Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor dan isteri Perdana Menteri Jepun, Miyuki Hatoyama. – Bernama

TOKYO 19 April - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, masanya sudah tiba untuk Dasar Pandang Ke Timur yang bermula 28 tahun lalu disemak semula dengan memperkenalkan usaha baru yang menepati keperluan dan kepentingan semasa serta masa depan Malaysia-Jepun.

Walaupun Perdana Menteri mengakui jasa besar dasar itu antara teras hubungan dua hala selain manfaat kepada lebih 15,000 rakyat Malaysia, kedua-dua negara perlu tampil dengan formula baru untuk terus bergerak ke hadapan.

"Kita akan melihat pakatan strategik dalam bidang-bidang teknologi baru seperti alam sekitar, industri hijau, nano serta sektor komunikasi," kata beliau pada majlis jamuan rasmi anjuran rakan sejawatannya dari Jepun, Dr. Yukio Hatoyama sempena lawatan beliau di sini hari ini.

Jamuan itu turut dihadiri isteri Perdana Menteri, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor; isteri Hatoyama, Miyuki; Pemangku Menteri Luar, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim; serta Duta Malaysia ke Jepun, Datuk Shaharuddin Md. Som.

Pandangan Najib mengenai keperluan dasar itu disemak semula turut dipersetujui Hatoyama dengan kedua-dua pihak mengakui hubungan Malaysia-Jepun kini memasuki fasa baru yang menekankan kepentingan meningkatkan perkongsian sumber dan kepakaran.

Menurut Najib, Malaysia sangat menghargai kerjasama ekonomi Jepun yang terus berkembang sejak kedua-dua negara menjalin hubungan diplomatik 50 tahun lalu.

Namun, beliau berpendapat walaupun banyak kejayaan yang telah dicapai, potensi untuk berkembang masih terbuka luas khususnya dengan pelaksanaan Model Ekonomi Baru (MEB) serta Iskandar Malaysia untuk Jepun menggandakan nilai pelaburan.

Perdana Menteri berkata, walaupun kemelesetan ekonomi dunia memberi kesan kepada penurunan nilai perdagangan dua hala, keadaan itu dijangka berubah kepada lebih baik bermula tahun ini.

Untuk rekod, nilai perdagangan Malaysia-Jepun susut daripada RM136 bilion pada 2008 kepada RM108.7 bilion tahun lalu.