First Thing’s First: Re-establishingU.S.-Japan Relations

At last, the Naoto Kan cabinet has earnestly jumped into action.

There is a huge amount of tasks to deal with, and time is running out. But above all else, the reorganizing of U.S.-Japan relations is the most urgent diplomatic business.

Sixty years after the war, Japan has promoted diplomacy, with the alliance between the U.S. and Japan being paramount, and it will firmly continue to do so.

Prime Minister Kan spoke at a press conference on the 8th and clarified a line of action in which the U.S.-Japan security guarantee was the foundation for diplomacy.

Although the preceding prime minister, Hatoyama Yukio, persistently spoke about the importance of the U.S.-Japan relationship, he did not follow up with any action while he was in office. As expected, he passed on the problem that was at the root of the alliance — that of relocating the U.S. armed forces Futenma base — to his cabinet ministers.

When the G8 Summit is held in Canada during the latter part of this month, the prime minister is proposing to have a conference with President Obama. He wants to establish a course of action that will mend their alliance, which has suffered because of the Futenma problem.

The first barrier is coming along soon. According to a prior joint declaration by the U.S. and Japan regarding the Futenma relocation to the Henoko district of Nago city in Okinawa, they are expecting to finish discussing the location of the establishment and how it will be constructed by the end of August.

The locals are objecting to the very idea of relocation, and there is no hope of them being persuaded otherwise. Having said that, if they make decisions without the agreement of the locals, then the plans for relocation will certainly come to an impasse.

The Prime Minister has arranged an interactive framework between the administration and Okinawa and wants Obama to concentrate all his efforts on getting the understanding of Okinawa.

To protect against any disorder like that of the previous cabinet, it is essential to deal with the problem by becoming strict, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku, who will act as leader, is keeping close ties with Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Minister of Defense Toshimi Kitazawa.

At the press conference, the prime minister declared that he wanted to deepen Japan’s relationship with various countries in Asia even more. Strengthening connections with China, South Korea, India and numerous countries in Southeast Asia that are at the center of the growth of society is an obviously beneficial course of action.

In order to do that, it is necessary to devote all our strength to resolving the Futenma issue. Leaving serious cracks in their relationship with the USA unresolved, Japan is not regarded as a reliable partner by various countries in Asia.

While tension in the Korean Peninsula and the growth of the Chinese navy continues, South Korea and various countries in Southeast Asia are hoping the U.S.-Japan alliance will take an important role in stabilizing the Asia Pacific. If it takes too long to mend the alliance the prime minister is probably inviting disappointment from these Asian countries.