JAPAN

JAPAN
Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo, Nov. 28: Tuna may feature less frequently on Japanese dinner tables in years to come following a decision by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) to reduce bluefin tuna fishing quotas.
There seems to be no question that the world's tuna resources are diminishing as a result of global overfishing. To preserve tuna stocks, there is only one course of action: Conserve the resources, even if that entails sacrifice.
Demand for tuna and other seafood is growing around the world. The recent hikes in tuna prices owe to these global demand increases.
International restrictions
Tuna fishing nations are today spread across Europe, Latin America and Asia. Efforts at conservation by Japan alone will have little effect. There must be international restrictions on fishing, and each nation must observe them.
The world's five regional tuna fishing management organizations will hold their first joint conference in Japan in January. It will be Japan's responsibility as the world's leading tuna consumer nation to take the initiative and propose effective regulatory measures.
As Japan is strong in fisheries technology, it should also go ahead with research on fish cultivation.
DENMARK
Politiken, Copenhagen, Nov. 28: The editor in chief and two journalists at the Berlingske Tidende (newspaper) faced demands yesterday that they be jailed for doing their jobs.
The Danish prosecution believes, in earnest, that they should serve four months in jail for smearing the reputation of the intelligence service.
Harsh sentence
Their argument is over a former intelligence officer giving them information about the service's threat assessments. The sentence (of four months in jail) handed down to the Danish Defense Intelligence Service major was very harsh. Admittedly, he may have violated his oath of confidentiality, but the leak did no harm to national security or endanger Danish troops abroad.
And no one can deny that the debate over about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction -- or the lack of these arms -- was of major public interest.
Berlingske Tidende's journalists and editors have committed no sin.
On the contrary, they did exactly what the press was born to do: make relevant information available to the public.
ITALY
La Stampa, Turin, Nov. 29: (Turkey) is one of those sensitive areas where the smallest of divisions can generate an earthquake, where even slight friction dangerously overheats the tectonic plates, but where it is also possible to create bridges, trade in merchandise and thoughts, compare lifestyles and inspiring principles.
Papal teachings
It is there that Benedict XVI will have the possibility to reaffirm in front of Christian counterparts of other denominations, Muslims and secular people of different leanings what the papal teachings of the last 40 years never tired of repeating: A coexistence based on peace and dialogue is possible because there can be "no violence in the name of God" and "faith in God, Creator of the universe and Father of all, cannot but promote between men relations of universal brotherhood."
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Khaleej Times, Dubai, Nov. 28: There is considerable weight in Jordan's King Abdullah's grim warning that failing "urgent action" from the international community, there is likelihood of three civil wars breaking out in the Middle East by 2007. Considering ongoing trends, it is difficult to deny that conflicts in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories show more signs of spinning out of control than they do of calming anytime soon.
Central issue
It is important to note that with ground realities, international opinion and domestic ratings mounting against him, coupled with the fact that Washington's terror-war has made international terrorism stronger in many ways, President Bush will find it difficult to shrug off the Palestine issue. King Abdullah has hit the nail on the head by asserting that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains the central issue behind the volatility in the region. As is evident from past policies, especially those employed in the last half-decade of the war against terrorism, any approach that does not take this issue into consideration turns out cosmetic at best.
By airing his concerns, King Abdullah has set the tone of the discussions when President Bush visits Jordan. It is high time for Washington to accept the folly of its policies and adopt a more realistic approach with respect to the Middle East.