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US, Japan call for
strong Asia-Pacific defense
By J. Michael Cole / Staff Reporter
Top US and Japanese defense and foreign affairs officials on Tuesday reaffirmed
the US-Japan Alliance and called for peaceful resolution of disputes in the
Taiwan Strait through dialogue, while admitting that plans to relocate US troops
from a military base in Okinawa would miss their deadline.
The Security Consultative Committee meeting, held in Washington, involved US
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates,
Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeaki Matsumoto and Japanese Minister of
National Defense Toshimi Kitazawa. This was the first meeting of the committee,
informally known as the ¡§2+2 ministerial,¡¨ in four years.
In a joint statement, the committee said it recognized the need to address a
number of challenges in an ¡§increasingly uncertain security environment,¡¨ which
included expanding military capabilities and activities in the region, as well
as the emergence of non-traditional security concerns.
The US government reaffirmed its commitment to the defense of Japan and to peace
and security in the Asia-Pacific region, including through regional alliances
and the full range of US military capabilities, both nuclear and conventional.
Japan reaffirmed its commitment to provide stable use of facilities and areas by
US forces and to support their smooth operation.
The statement said it welcomed continued developments and cooperation with Japan
on theater ballistic missile defense ¡X which for years has met strong opposition
from Beijing ¡X and called for the study of future issues in preparation for
transition to production and deployment of the SM-3 Block IIA missile defense
system.
The US also reaffirmed its commitment, first made in the 2010 Quadrennial
Defense Review, to strengthen regional deterrence and to maintain and enhance
its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
More specifically, in comments that ostensibly targeted China, it stated its
intent to tailor its regional defense posture to address proliferation of
nuclear technologies and theater ballistic missiles, anti-access/area denial
capabilities and other evolving threats, such as to outer space and cyberspace.
On China, the statement said the US and Japan encouraged Beijing¡¦s responsible
and constructive role in regional stability and prosperity, cooperation on
global issues and its adherence to international norms of behavior. It also
reiterated the need for China to improve openness and transparency with respect
to its military modernization and activities, and to strengthen
confidence-building measures.
Although Taiwan was not mentioned, the statement said members welcomed progress
in improving cross-strait relations.
A similar statement following the committee meeting in 2005 resulted in strong
condemnation by Beijing, which said at the time it ¡§resolutely opposes the
United States and Japan in issuing any bilateral document concerning China¡¦s
Taiwan, which meddles in the internal affairs of China, and hurts China¡¦s
sovereignty.¡¨
At press time, Beijing had yet to respond to Tuesday¡¦s joint statement.
Meanwhile, the US and Japan also acknowledged they would miss a 2014 deadline
for the relocation of the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Okinawa.
The force realignment plan aims to reduce the US military footprint on Okinawa,
which hosts more than half of the 47,000 US troops in Japan. Despite the delay,
the two sides confirmed that Marine air operations would be shifted to a less
crowded part of Okinawa, where a new airfield is to be built, while about 8,000
Marines are to be shifted to Guam.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AP
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