U.S. and Japan Must Come to Terms on Security Treaty

The U.S. and Japan need to come to terms regarding their security treaty.

After four years, the cabinet ministers in charge of foreign affairs and defense for both America and Japan have taken another look at their "mutual strategic objectives" and have agreed to share responsibility and cooperate defensively.

It is the first time for a democratic administration, but the exchange of knowledge and policies between America and Japan on the increasingly uncertain state of East Asia has definitely been significant.

Concern has been shown about China’s rise to power "making the region unstable," and so the new strategic objectives are to urge them to adhere to international rules and take responsibility. It also includes taking a strong stance and telling North Korea to "stop making trouble."

They will also try to get other countries such as Australia, South Korea and India to take notice and help promote peace.

However, in these latest agreements a big weight has been placed on the Democratic Party to unify the relationship that is swaying over the issue to relocate Futenma.

The subheading reads “moving towards a deeper and expanded union of Japan and America,” but what it should probably read is “regression of our union has finally stopped.”

You could say that the cooperative success between the countries in responding to the great earthquake disaster in eastern Japan has improved the chances of unification. America rose to the expectations and acknowledged Japan’s suffering, all of which reflects their bold involvement.

But there is the pending problem of relocating Futenma, and the alternative of constructing the facility in Henoko does not look like it is going to come to fruition thanks to the firmly rooted opposition of Okinawa. Not only have they gone back to the agreements laid out when the Liberal Democratic Party was in power, but they are actually deepening the chasm with Okinawa.

No progress is being made to relocate the training drills, which the locals are requesting, and dangerous army airports could be established in dense residential areas.

The two countries are also involved in relocating the U.S. carrier-based aircraft to Iwakuni and have decided to inspect Mageshima in Kagoshima prefecture as a priority for implementing the comings and goings of the training drills that the U.S. are demanding. Resistance from the locals is strong and it will without a doubt spark more problems for America’s plans to reorganize its army.

And that’s not all… little by little they have come to an agreement, based on sketchy guidelines, to relocate ballistic missile defense interceptor missiles they have co-developed to a third country.

We have already requested that the Diet who are involved in the Three Principles on arms exports discuss this seriously. Continuing the relocation without putting on the breaks is a serious oversight.

Japan is paying a big price, and for Naoto Kan, who momentarily resigned as prime minister, there is not a lot of breathing space. In America, at the end of the month, the secretary of defense will be replaced.

In order to give some weight to the slapstick agreements that are being made and deepen their alliance once again, they must regain some control.