Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministery Meeting: Alliance, Cooperation and Opposing China

Foreign Minister Maehara and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a conference in Hawaii. The two pledged cooperation on issues such as China’s rare earth export restrictions, the Chinese fishing vessel collision incident off of the Senkaku Islands and the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement. This development is commendable.

At a joint press conference held after the meeting, Secretary of State Clinton reiterated that the “Senkakus fall within the scope of Article 5 of the 1960 U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. This is part of the larger commitment that the United States has made to Japan’s security.” Additionally, the secretary said, “We would encourage and welcome Japan’s interest,” to a question regarding Japan’s inclusion in the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership, which the Kan Administration is currently considering. Foreign Minister Maehara, regarding the recent moves by China, expressed that “Japan and the United States will closely cooperate with each other in order to engage in more diversified rare earth minerals diplomacy.”

Starting with the ASEAN-related East Asian Summit held in Hanoi, the U.S. and Japan have been in step regarding their joint response to China’s increasingly self-righteous stance in security and the economy. In order for the recent Japan-U.S. foreign ministerial meeting to have an impact, it is absolutely imperative for Japan and the U.S. to link with Asian democratic states.

In order to do so, Japan and the U.S. must coordinate policy on rare earths and Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership issues, together with security cooperation. I hope the Kan Administration sticks to its promises made at the recent meeting and takes the necessary steps to foster the trust of Asian nations.

With the backdrop of vigorous discussions on China policy in the upcoming East Asia Summit in Hanoi, the G-20 Meeting in Seoul and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, this recent meeting was the first of a series of upcoming meetings where the state of Japan-U.S. relations was in question. It can also be said that this meeting was in preparation for President Obama’s visit to Japan next month.

Mr. Obama announced on Oct. 27 that he will be making his first visit to India ahead of the G-20 and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings. Meanwhile, ASEAN is formulating policy on how to constrain China’s recent activity in the South China Sea. Eventually China’s selfish behavior will be contained economically, resource-wise and security-wise. Rare earth diversification and the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership will be an effective tool towards this end.

Japan and the U.S. have a responsibility to take a lead for such an effort. The question is whether or not the Kan Administration has the strategic foresight and determination to carry this out.

To deepen the alliance and live up to the expectations of our neighbors in the Pacific Rim, we must swiftly solve intra-allegiance problems such as the Futenma base move and the costs of hosting the U.S. military on the Japanese islands.