Currently, two challenges are confronting the Japan–America alliance.
First is the righting of Japan and America’s relationship, which has been worsening since the start of the Hatoyama administration in the fall of 2009. Second is the response to the deteriorating security situation in East Asia, including China and North Korea.
How many of these challenges can the Kan cabinet overcome? It’s likely that the administration’s fate is directly linked to these very important diplomatic issues. They must make a serious effort to tackle these problems.
Progress on Futenma is Crucial
The keys to rebuilding an even stronger Japanese–American relationship are Prime Minister Kan’s visit to America this spring and the publication of a partnership document regarding the deepening of the Japan–America alliance.
Presentation of the partnership document was originally scheduled for last year, the 50th anniversary of the revised U.S.–Japan Security Treaty. However, former Prime Minister Hatoyama irresponsibly preached about a “fair Japan–America alliance”* and derailed the relocation problem of Futenma, the American military airfield. As a result, the work to deepen the alliance slowed, and the presentation was delayed.
Needless to say, it is not the presentation itself but the content of the partnership document that is essential.
It will reconfirm the 1996 Japan–America joint declaration that, even after the Cold war, the Japan–America alliance is the foundation of stability and prosperity in Asia. It will also work out cooperative defense guidelines for Japan and America.
It is also important for the new partnership document to first display a higher level of cooperative defense between Japan and America in the 21st century and then to connect that to operations that will make it a reality.
At the same time, progress on Futenma is also vital.
Okinawa Prefectural Governor Nakaima Hirokazu was re-elected last November, touting a commitment to “relocation (of Futenma) to outside the prefecture.”* Looking from an objective position, it will not be easy to convince the governor to relocate the base within the prefecture.
However, we can’t allow the Kan administration to use this as a reason for doing nothing and planning nothing, as it has it the past. There needs to be an increased effort to persuade the governor and his people.
Accomplishing the relocation of Futenma, as well as transfer of the 8,000 Marines there to Guam, will be a massive relief for Okinawa. The government should seriously discuss with the Okinawa representatives how they will utilize the large area of land that will be restored by removing Futenma and how they will construct a new future for Okinawa.
Other important matters regarding the reorganization of US military forces, such as the transferring of aircraft carrier planes from Atsugi base to Iwakuni base, still remain unsolved. The sound resolution of these issues will boost the reliability and the durability of the Japan–America alliance.
Deepen the Strategic Debate Regarding China
Attacks from North Korea on the South Korean submarine and the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong, the collision incident of the Chinese fishing boat in the open sea around the Senkaku archipelago, the near miss of the Chinese navy helicopter on the SDF ship … Incidents concerning Japanese security came one after another last year. It wouldn’t be strange if this year is no different.
The importance of the Japan–America alliance is growing, as both a foundation for diplomacy towards North Korea and China and also as a source of military deterrence.
It is important to strengthen the multilateral cooperation of Japan and America, along with South Korea, Australia and India, in order to cope with North Korea’s nuclear missile threat as well as China’s continuing friction with its neighbors about the creation of security rules in the South and East China seas.
Especially important are relations with South Korea. Among the relationships between Japan, South Korea and America, the Japan–South Korea relationship is probably the weakest.
Japan–South Korea relations have been extremely good since the auspicious beginning of Lee Myung-bak’s administration. How about a presentation of a partnership document regarding politics and security when President Lee formally comes to Japan? I would also like to see deeper arguments about setting a plan for the Japanese evacuation from the Korean peninsula in the event of an emergency and about Japanese–Korean cooperation.
Urging China, which has become both an economic and military superpower, to take responsible action is a common problem for Japan and America. Security in East Asia, the world’s environment, the energy crisis: Solving these problems is likely to be difficult without China’s help.
What method will be effective in getting China to agree to international cooperative actions and to play a part befitting its national power? It is vital that Japan and America work closely to create middle and long-term strategies to answer this question.
Alongside diplomatic efforts, it is also important for Japan to strengthen it defensive structure.
In the defensive scheme decided last December, the new concept of “Dynamic Defense” was laid out. Through increased deployment of SDF ground forces and submarines to the Ryukyu Islands, we can strengthen our guarding and observational activities and elevate our abilities to deal with various situations.
Send Medical Officers to Afghanistan
We should also expand our international peace cooperation activities. Sending medical officers to Afghanistan, along with ending oil operations in the Indian Ocean, marks Japan’s return to the international community’s “War on Terror.”
We hesitated sending SDF ground forces into the Sudan last year as part of the U.N. peacekeeping operations, but if new reconstruction support operations begin in southern Sudan, we should try to really send troops this time. As a countermeasure to piracy in the sea around Somalia, P3C patrols planes might be effective.
Japan playing a more active role on the security front may be useful in deepening the Japan–America alliance.
*Editor’s Note: These quotes, though accurately translated, could not be verified.
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