Japan drops troop plan

But when push came to shove, the government developed cold feet, so much so that even contributing soldiers in a non-combat capacity, for example in transportation and assisting reconstruction, has been ruled out. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is in favour of Japan participating more actively in international security missions, but he lacks popular support and the backing of party's coalition partners.

One of the stumbling blocks is Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, adopted after World War Two, which obliged all future Japanese governments to renounce war and the use of military force to settle disputes. The same Article 9 also banned the country from maintaining what were described as military forces with war potential.

Some politicians, including former prime minister Shinzo Abe, have tried without success to revise the controversial Article, a move that has been traditionally opposed by older members of the socialist opposition who recall the horrific implications of Japan's defeat in World War Two after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Even those younger politicians who say it is time to wake up to current realities by revising Article 9 are divided over how it should be done. A sizeable number argue that if Japan were to effectively rearm, for whatever reason, it should do so under the aegis of the United Nations and not with a view to acting as the Asian sword arm of the United States.

Vietnam's inflation woes

Vietnam has become the latest Asian country after Pakistan to boost fuel prices following the world oil price hike. Kerosene leads the way with a price hike of 43.9 per cent, followed by petrol (31.0 per cent) and diesel (14.7 per cent). Continuing state subsidies mean the prices are not as high as they could be to reflect market realities.

Other Asian countries like India, Indonesia and China have all recently cut subsidies, leading to higher oil prices for domestic consumers, but Vietnam is more severely affected because of significantly higher inflation (26.8 per cent last June) than most of its immediate neighbours.

Higher inflation, rising imports and the change in Vietnam's status from a net oil exporter to a net oil importer have all contributed to concerns among foreign investors of a looming credit crunch and even a major currency devaluation of the dong. Runaway imports, partly accounted for by a domestic demand for luxury goods, as well as major investment projects, including foreign direct investment, appear to be the least of Hanoi's worries. Instead the government has until now focused more on bringing inflation under control by tightening credit.

symbolic and actual importance for the Chinese Communist Party and leading functionaries such as Vice President Xi Jinping who seek to project their country as the upcoming superpower.

Thus it is no coincidence that Olympic year and the lead up to it has seen a more accommodating policy towards Taiwan – where the new government was elected on promises of more flexible and better ties with its giant neighbour to the north. This has stimulated cross-Straits trade and boosted economic growth.

More friendly policies towards India – China's ancient Asian rival – have likewise boosted bilateral trade with New Delhi from a few hundred million dollars a year to more than U.S.$ 25 billion. It is expected to top U.S.$ 40 billion by 2010. The border dispute between the two countries, however, remains unresolved and the Indian authorities continue to report border incursions by Chinese forces in the north-east of their country – in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Likewise India says the Chinese remain in occupation of large swathes of territory – Aksai Chin – that is part of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Sino-Russian border demarcation protocol signed third week July resolves a dispute over the Amur islands, resulting in the return to China of Tarabarov Island (Yinlong in Chinese) and half of Bolshoi Ussuriyasky (Heixiazi).

The Chinese authorities have always maintained that both islands were forcibly occupied by the then Soviet Union in 1929. Disputes over their sovereignty led to bloody border clashes throughout the 1960s. The new agreement runs the risk of providing propaganda tools to nationalists in both countries, but it reduces the immediate danger of bilateral border clashes in the immediate future.

Commenting on the agreement in advance of its signing in Beijing, a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said, 'This will end the boundary demarcation work (between China and Russia), for which the two countries have been negotiating for more than 40 years.' And it will mark the legal demarcation of their boundary. It will be a 'big event for the two countries.'

DH9 bomber restored

A World War One bomber purchased from one of India's former royal families is occupying pride of place at a war museum in the heart of the English countryside.

The de Havilland DH9, built in 1917 by furniture manufacturers Waring and Gillow of Hammersmith in London, was originally intended for the RAF's 10 squadron, but was gifted instead to Ganga Singhji, the Maharaja of Bikaner.
Powered by a single Siddeley Puma six cylinder engine, the remains of three rotting aircraft were discovered amid piles of debris in the stables of the former royal palace of Bikaner.

Purchased for a handsome sum from the Maharaja's relatives, the remains were transferred to a specialist restorer in the UK who recreated the wings and the fuselage.

The engine was supplied by museum authorities at RAF Duxford, a former air base located close to the city of Cambridge.

Although once one of the most produced British aeroplanes of their vintage, the DH9s had all but disappeared until they were discovered in Bikaner. English restorers were able to cannibalise parts from two aircraft to restore the third.

The specialist in charge of the restoration process, Guy Black, was quoted as saying, 'Finding the remains of a DH9 is like discovering a treasure chest. It's the only one in Britain.'

At Duxford museum authorities have placed the DH9 between a Canadian-designed CF 100 fighter, an RAF Hastings and a BOAC Comet. Suspended directly above are a Jaguar strike trainer and a BAC Strikemaster in the colours of the Royal Saudi Air Force.

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