Japan and the United States agreed at security talks between their defense and foreign ministers in Washington on Tuesday to drop their earlier deadline for the relocation of a key US base within Okinawa Prefecture by 2014, a move that will likely further stall the already protracted negotiations over the base.
Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto also agreed with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on a new set of ''common strategic objectives'' in a joint statement, which called for China to play a constructive role in regional stability.
In the statement issued after the ''two-plus-two'' defense and security meeting, the four ministers reaffirmed a bilateral accord reached in May last year on the relocation of the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, which is a key point in implementing the overall realignment of US forces in Japan, and finalized the configuration of Futenma's replacement facility.
'This is a very important progress toward the relocation,' Kitazawa said in a joint news conference afterward, referring to building the facility in the form of two runways in a V-shaped formation.
Futenma Relocation Plan
The ministers committed to completing the relocation ''at the earliest possible date after 2014,'' but provided no specific timeline or steps to address the concerns in Okinawa and the US Congress regarding the feasibility of the current Futenma relocation plan.
Okinawa, which has long hosted the bulk of US forces in Japan, strongly opposes the relocation of the Futenma base from Ginowan to the less populated coastal area of Nago's Henoko district, citing noise concerns and danger of possible accidents because of the base's presence.
Gates said: ''It is critical that we move forward with the relocation of Futenma,'' stressing the importance of making ''concrete progress over the course of the next year.'' While the Futenma relocation remains a pending issue that needs to be worked out, the Japanese and US defense and foreign chiefs agreed on the key role of the US forces' participation in disaster drills held by local authorities to enhance ties between the forces and base-hosting communities.
Improving Contingency Access
They also agreed to improve contingency access by the US forces and Japan's Self-Defense Forces to facilities in Japan.
Based on the ''common strategic objectives,'' which were originally drawn up in February 2005 and updated in May 2007, the two nations said they will boost the bilateral security alliance amid regional security challenges such as the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.
Japan and the United States agreed to deter provocative actions by North Korea, apparently in light of incidents in 2010, including the North's fatal artillery attack on a South Korean island, and to seek the denuclearization of North Korea, including its uranium enrichment program, in a verifiable manner. The ministers also called for the maintenance of maritime safety and security by defending the principle of freedom of navigation.
Although the statement did not name a specific country, Japanese officials have expressed concern in past documents about China's growing military power and increased naval activities around Japan's southwestern islands.
Regional Stability and Prosperity
Japan and the United States urged China to take a ''responsible and constructive role in regional stability and prosperity'' and called for ''its cooperation on global issues, and its adherence to international norms of behavior.'' They also called on China to be more open and transparent in its military modernization.
The ministers also discussed the issue of territorial rows between China and some Southeast Asian nations in South China Sea and the role of Japan and the United States in the issue, a Japanese official said.
In view of the uncertain security environment in the region, Gates said the United States will maintain a strong presence with forward deployment in East Asia, noting that the latest Futenma accord marks ''steady progress'' in modernizing US forces in the region.
Realigning US Forces
Beyond the issue of realigning US forces, the ministers reaffirmed cooperation between the US military and the SDF, which worked closely together on disaster relief operations in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.
The ministers agreed on the importance of setting up a regional logistics hub in Japan for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, and also looked to a stronger trilateral security and defense cooperation with Australia and South Korea. Meeting face-to-face under the two-plus-two framework for the first time in four years, the ministers also agreed that the United States can export a jointly developed ballistic missile interceptor to third countries.
Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto also agreed with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on a new set of ''common strategic objectives'' in a joint statement, which called for China to play a constructive role in regional stability.
In the statement issued after the ''two-plus-two'' defense and security meeting, the four ministers reaffirmed a bilateral accord reached in May last year on the relocation of the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, which is a key point in implementing the overall realignment of US forces in Japan, and finalized the configuration of Futenma's replacement facility.
'This is a very important progress toward the relocation,' Kitazawa said in a joint news conference afterward, referring to building the facility in the form of two runways in a V-shaped formation.
Futenma Relocation Plan
The ministers committed to completing the relocation ''at the earliest possible date after 2014,'' but provided no specific timeline or steps to address the concerns in Okinawa and the US Congress regarding the feasibility of the current Futenma relocation plan.
Okinawa, which has long hosted the bulk of US forces in Japan, strongly opposes the relocation of the Futenma base from Ginowan to the less populated coastal area of Nago's Henoko district, citing noise concerns and danger of possible accidents because of the base's presence.
Gates said: ''It is critical that we move forward with the relocation of Futenma,'' stressing the importance of making ''concrete progress over the course of the next year.'' While the Futenma relocation remains a pending issue that needs to be worked out, the Japanese and US defense and foreign chiefs agreed on the key role of the US forces' participation in disaster drills held by local authorities to enhance ties between the forces and base-hosting communities.
Improving Contingency Access
They also agreed to improve contingency access by the US forces and Japan's Self-Defense Forces to facilities in Japan.
Based on the ''common strategic objectives,'' which were originally drawn up in February 2005 and updated in May 2007, the two nations said they will boost the bilateral security alliance amid regional security challenges such as the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.
Japan and the United States agreed to deter provocative actions by North Korea, apparently in light of incidents in 2010, including the North's fatal artillery attack on a South Korean island, and to seek the denuclearization of North Korea, including its uranium enrichment program, in a verifiable manner. The ministers also called for the maintenance of maritime safety and security by defending the principle of freedom of navigation.
Although the statement did not name a specific country, Japanese officials have expressed concern in past documents about China's growing military power and increased naval activities around Japan's southwestern islands.
Regional Stability and Prosperity
Japan and the United States urged China to take a ''responsible and constructive role in regional stability and prosperity'' and called for ''its cooperation on global issues, and its adherence to international norms of behavior.'' They also called on China to be more open and transparent in its military modernization.
The ministers also discussed the issue of territorial rows between China and some Southeast Asian nations in South China Sea and the role of Japan and the United States in the issue, a Japanese official said.
In view of the uncertain security environment in the region, Gates said the United States will maintain a strong presence with forward deployment in East Asia, noting that the latest Futenma accord marks ''steady progress'' in modernizing US forces in the region.
Realigning US Forces
Beyond the issue of realigning US forces, the ministers reaffirmed cooperation between the US military and the SDF, which worked closely together on disaster relief operations in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.
The ministers agreed on the importance of setting up a regional logistics hub in Japan for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, and also looked to a stronger trilateral security and defense cooperation with Australia and South Korea. Meeting face-to-face under the two-plus-two framework for the first time in four years, the ministers also agreed that the United States can export a jointly developed ballistic missile interceptor to third countries.
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