Informal Talk Leading to Evolution of Japan-U.S. Alliance

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, with U.S. President Obama, conveyed that the Futenma issue would come to a conclusion by the end of May and that the two countries had cooperated during an informal conversation. A resolution to this problem paves the way for Japan to achieve its desire for an evolution in the relationship at the base of the alliance.

The informal talk between the Japan and U.S. leaders, which lasted about 10 minutes, took place at the dinner occasion at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.

With regards to the issue of the return of the U.S. Marine Corps to Futenma Airport (Okinawa Prefecture Ginowan), the prime minister said, “[This issue will] come to a conclusion by the end of May. Reducing Okinawa’s burden is crucial for continuing the development of the alliance. [We] hope that President Obama too can be supportive.”

Prime Minister Hatoyama’s plan for the replacement facility at the relocation site is not obvious, and even during the talk, no hints were made about the plans for relocating the U.S. Camp Schwab (Nago), axis of the ground troops, and the distribution of the U.S. training camps on Tokunoshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture and in other prefectures.

Initially, Japan wanted to put off formal talks. And if formal talks take place, President Obama will opt for the current “desirable” Schwab proposal so as to ensure the continuity of U.S. government policies.

The reason for the informal meeting is the orientation of distrust toward President Obama. Additionally, it would be wise to avoid a decisive break on the Futenma issue at a diplomatic level.

But there is great meaning in Prime Minister Hatoyama’s declaration to President Obama that the problem will be “coming to a conclusion by the end of May.” Prime Minister Hatoyama is risking his political career trying to achieve an indigenous relocation and an understanding between both governments.

The highest priority is “reducing Okinawa’s burden.” With about 75 percent of U.S. bases in Japan concentrated in Okinawa, Okinawans’ frustration is amplified because Prime Minister Hatoyama is breaking his promises, since the least that can be done (for reducing Okinawa’s burden) is to transfer some bases “out of Okinawa.”

Both Prime Minister Hatoyama and President Obama must again recognize that the alliance is weak as it is unable to gain the public’s understanding.

Although efforts have been made to strengthen the alliance between the Japanese and U.S. governments, the Futenma issue has become an obstacle, and it is difficult to say that things are going according to plan.

The international community is facing various direct threats like terrorism and nuclear proliferation, global warming, food and energy shortages, infectious diseases, poverty and so on. Not only should the alliance between Japan and the U.S. deepen for security reasons, it is also necessary to expand areas of cooperation so the alliance can evolve and modernize.

This is especially true as Japan is the only country that has suffered a nuclear attack. A modernized alliance between Japan and the U.S. will show the international community that cooperation is required to achieve President Obama’s “world without nuclear weapons.”

To that end, it is crucial that the Futenma issue be resolved quickly and the alliance agreement be accelerated. And that is also Prime Minister Hatoyama’s responsibility.