Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of peace in the Asia-Pacific
(From The Japan Times Feb. 19 issue)

アジアの平和基盤となる日米同盟

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone on Feb. 17, and agreed that the Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. She also met Prime Minister Taro Aso and Democratic Party of Japan chief Ichiro Ozawa. She invited Mr. Aso to meet U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington on Feb. 24; Mr. Aso will be the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House since Mr. Obama took office.

Ms. Clinton apparently chose Japan as the first stopover in her first overseas trip as secretary of state to reassure Japan that the United States is not giving priority to its ties with China. But the United States regards Japan-U.S. ties as part of its large strategy toward the Asia-Pacific region. Japan needs to carefully study the Obama administration's strategy. The United States may call for more Japanese contributions to the stabilization of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Japan should develop its approaches to the issue based on its principles and clearly present them to the United States before being told by Washington what to do.

Mr. Nakasone and Ms. Clinton agreed that the two nations must advance their efforts to "secure a complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea" through the six-party talks. Ms. Clinton denounced a reported move by the North to test-launch a ballistic missile. She also said the issue of the abductions of Japanese citizens by the North remains part of the six-party talks. The agreement that Japan and the United States should act together toward North Korea is encouraging.

The top diplomats of Japan and the United States signed a new pact under which the Japanese government will make direct contributions of up to $ 2.8 billion for relocating some 8,000 U.S. Marines and their dependents from Okinawa to Guam. Japan should make sure that the money is used solely for reasonable related projects. The pact says the Marines' transfer depends on the move of Futenma Air Station from Ginowan to Nago. The government should solve the Futenma issue as soon as possible by striking a feasible compromise with the Okinawan Prefectural Government.

クリントン米国務長官は中曽根外相との会談で、日米同盟がアジア太平洋地域の平和と安定の基盤だという認識を確認、麻生首相や民主党の小沢代表とも会談し、ホワイトハウスを訪れる最初の外国首脳として首相を招待した。

日本を最初に訪れて米中関係が優先ではないと強調した形だが、米国は日米関係をアジア太平洋地域戦略の一部とみている。アフガニスタン、パキスタンのテロ対策支援を求められる前に、日本は原則に基づいた貢献策を示すべきだ。

両外相は、6カ国協議を通じて「完全で検証可能な北朝鮮の非核化」に向けて連携を強めることで合意、また両外相は、日本側の上限28億ドルの資金拠出を含む在沖海兵隊のグアム移転協定に署名した。普天間飛行場の移設も盛り込まれており、日本政府は沖縄県との調整を急ぐべきだ。