13 November 2009
Obama, Hatoyama Agree to Revitalize U.S.-Japanese Alliance
Washington — President Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama agreed November 13 that the U.S.-Japanese alliance must be revitalized to reflect the new challenges of the 21st century.
Obama, on the first stop of a four-nation, nine-day trip to East Asia, is making his first trip to the region since taking office in January. From Japan, he travels to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Singapore, then to China before concluding his trip in South Korea.
The U.S.-Japanese alliance marks its 50th anniversary next year, and Obama said at a press conference with Hatoyama November 13 in Tokyo that this provides an important opportunity “to step back and reflect on what we’ve achieved.”
The newly elected Hatoyama told reporters that the alliance is the cornerstone of U.S. and Japanese relations. Hatoyama’s political party, the Democratic Party of Japan, won a landslide election victory August 30, giving the party control of the government.
“But as time changes and as the international environment changes, there is a need for us to further develop and deepen the U.S.-Japan alliance to make it even more constructive and future oriented,” he said.
Obama agreed, saying it is essential that the alliance be strengthened. This is in the interests of Japan, the United States and the greater Asia-Pacific region, he said. “Our alliance will endure and our efforts will be focused on revitalizing that friendship so that it’s even stronger and more successful in meeting the challenges of the 21st century,” Obama told reporters.
Analysts say the alliance has been the basis for the U.S. security role in Asia and provides the foundation for approximately 53,000 U.S. military members in the Asia-Pacific region.
BASE RELOCATION
Obama said the United States and Japan have agreed to set up a high-level working group to focus on implementation of a 2006 agreement to relocate the U.S. Marine Air Station at Futenma on the island of Okinawa. The air crews and aircraft would be relocated to expanded facilities at Camp Schwab, which is near Nago, a less populous area of Okinawa.
“Our goal remains the same, and that’s to provide for the defense of Japan with minimal intrusion on the lives of the people who share this space,” Obama told reporters. “We hope to complete this work expeditiously.”
The Marine air station and most U.S. military facilities in Japan were established under the 1960 U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement. The Okinawa facilities account for approximately 65 percent of U.S. forces in Japan.
In addition to the air station agreement, the United States has agreed to move the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, which includes 8,000 Marines and their families, from Futenma to expanded facilities on Guam. Under the terms of the pact, Japan agreed to pay $6.09 billion of the estimated $10.27 billion in costs associated with the move, according to a U.S. Congressional Research Service report on U.S.-Japanese relations.
BROADER ISSUES
In addition to strengthening the alliance and addressing military base issues on Okinawa, Obama and Hatoyama also discussed a wide range of issues, including Japanese assistance to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, proliferation of nuclear weapons, missile defense, disaster prevention, health and education.
Hatoyama said Japan will not be taking part in refueling in support of U.S. activities in Afghanistan, but instead will provide civil assistance. The Japanese Navy had been providing refueling support to the United States near Afghanistan.
Japan will provide civil assistance worth 5 billion yen ($55.68 million) over five years to Afghanistan for agriculture, infrastructure and schools, Hatoyama said.
“This is the type of assistance we want to provide,” he said. To improve security, Japan will help in training and support for the police force in Afghanistan and also provide vocational training for former Afghan soldiers.
Obama said he thanked Hatoyama and the people of Japan for the monetary contribution to Afghanistan and the civil assistance, as well as for its commitment of $1 billion to Pakistan.
“This underscores Japan’s prominent role within a broad international coalition that is advancing the cause of stability and opportunity in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Obama told reporters.
The two leaders also discussed during their 90-minute meeting the goal of stopping the spread of nuclear weapons. “And to that end we discussed both North Korea and the situation in Iran, recognizing that it’s absolutely vital that both countries meet their international obligations,” Obama said.
