Action over Words for RepairingJapan-U.S. Relationship

We have begun to heal the damages done to the Japan-U.S. relationship. The first meeting between Prime Minister Naoto Kan and President Obama is the first necessary step but far from the last.

Seeing the behavior of the two at this meeting, it seems that the cracks formed in the previous months by the Futenma Marine Air Station controversy have been filled, and bilateral relations have been mended.

The prime minister stressed that the bilateral alliance has been “the cornerstone of peace in the Asia-Pacific region.” President Obama has responded that he will “work to have the American bases accepted by the Japanese people.”*

This is a familiar scene. Last September, then-Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama praised bilateral cooperation during his first meeting with President Obama. In November, he told the president to “trust me” for a quick conclusion to the Futenma problem.

However, the Japanese decision was postponed, and confusion only deepened. The dissonance between Japan’s words and behavior lead to worsening bilateral relations.

While Hatoyama confused Washington into thinking that Tokyo was pursuing a policy of distance from America, Kan is starting to clarify the regularity of Japan-U.S. relations and abate the confusion from the previous row.

With that said, the thorn that is the Futenma problem is still lodged in our side. To avoid the mistakes of former Prime Minister Hatoyama, what is required is action toward a conclusion.

Both sides have agreed to work out the construction and location details of the replacement base by the end of August. It is our wish that this conclusion comes to fruition before President Obama’s next scheduled visit in November.

The locals of Henoko district of Nago City, Okinawa, are opposing the efforts to relocate the base near their homes. The prime minister has pledged that he will not make a final decision without the understanding of the local population.

If this is so, the Kan Administration should begin to closely consult with the residents on an agreeable plan.

There is not a lot of time left. As the November Okinawa gubernatorial elections approach, reaching an agreement with the locals may prove to be more difficult.

Prime Minister Kan will be meeting Mr. Obama in September while the U.N. General Meeting is in session. Final decisions for construction and location details must be worked out by then.

This will determine the validity of the currently oft-touted “standard of Japan-U.S. Relations.”

*Editor’s note: This translated quote by President Obama could not be verified.