Japan should fortify strategic partnership with Mongolia

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Mongolia became an opportunity for Tokyo to strengthen its strategic partnership with an Asian country friendly to Japan.

On Saturday, Abe held separate meetings with Mongolian Prime Minister Norov Altankhuyag and President Tsakhia Elbegdorj.

During the meeting with Altankhuyag, both leaders agreed Japan and Mongolia will start vice foreign minister-level talks to discuss diplomatic and security issues. Moreover, they agreed to hold a policy dialogue with the United States.

Abe's trumpeted principles for his administration's Asian diplomacy include calls for a free and open market economy and respect for democracy and other universal values.

Japan's diplomatic strategy also will benefit if Mongolia, which sits between Russia and China, becomes even more democratic and develops a market economy. It could act as a check against China, which has been threatening the sovereignty of neighboring nations through diplomatic intimidation.

Abe asked for Mongolia's cooperation on North Korea issues, particularly Pyongyang's abduction of Japanese. His Mongolian counterpart expressed support for and understanding of Tokyo's position.

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Mongolia was a North Korean ally during the Cold War and still maintains high-level exchanges with that country.

Thanks to Mongolia's cooperation, Japan and North Korea were able to hold talks in Ulan Bator in November 2012.

The government should take maximum advantage of its ties with Mongolia to resolve the abduction issue, which has been deadlocked for years.

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