BY YOICHI KATOASAHI SHIMBUN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Washington should try not to issue directives or dictate outcomes over key policy matters if it wants to promote an equal and strong partnership with Japan's new government, says U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.
Campbell, interviewed by The Asahi Shimbun during his recent visit to Tokyo, said this approach also applies to the Hatoyama administration's position of calling for a review of the planned relocation of the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture.
Campbell said the U.S. government would welcome Tokyo taking a more independent stand on foreign policy and having greater confidence on the global economic stage because it would rebound in Washington's favor.
Following are excerpts:
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Question: A new government, led by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan, is up and running after more than 50 years of almost uninterrupted rule by the Liberal Democratic Party. How is Washington going to work with the new political leadership?
Answer: We want to get off to the best possible start with this new administration. And what we are attempting to do over the course of the next several months is to have high-level meetings virtually every week with our Japanese interlocutors.
President Barack Obama will have his meeting (with Prime Minister Hatoyama) in New York. Deputy Secretary of State (James B.) Steinberg will be in Japan thereafter. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs (Wallace C.) Gregson will also visit Japan.
So we have a very deliberate process, where we will undertake what we hope to be a deeply interactive and responsible set of interactions, privately and quietly, with the new Japanese government, about every parameter of our relationship, and we seek to provide our input into several of the reviews that are on-going.
For those of us who care deeply about the U.S.-Japan alliance, we want very much for President Obama to have a very good visit here to Japan in November. I think that the White House and the U.S. government are very much looking forward to that visit.
It is also the case that early first steps come to define the nature of our relationship, and we believe that, as we sit on the cusp of the 50-year anniversary (of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty), it's important not only to reflect on what we've accomplished over these last 50 years, but also to take strong, critical and bold, courageous steps that underscore our commitment, going forward.
So, our primary goal here is to try to develop a forward-looking agenda on a range of issues such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and climate change, to ensure that we are in closest-possible coordination on how to deal with the provocations from North Korea and how to ensure that our diplomacy is well calibrated, and also to deal with other challenges in Asia, like how best to interact with China, how to work together on combating the issues associated with the global economic downturn, and problems of fundamentalism in Southeast Asia.
We want very much to make sure that the new Hatoyama government appreciates how committed we are to the closest-possible working relationship, that's respectful and listens closely to Japanese views and their values, and does what we can to implement this relationship together.
Q: I was wondering if what you have said actually indicates some concern on the part of Washington over future working relations with the Hatoyama administration?
A: No, it's an indication of our commitment. I think there has been some misinformation, or wrong assumptions, about the fundamental views of the United States, associated with the stated, or at least some of the stated, priorities of the new administration in Japan.
First and foremost, we accept and welcome the idea of an equal partnership. In fact, we think without an equal partnership it won't be possible to maintain a vibrant and strong relationship, going into the future. So, we accept, welcome and encourage a more active and creative partner that takes the initiative, in Japan.
Secondly, there is some sense that the United States doesn't support an independent Japanese foreign policy. Quite the contrary. We recognize that a greater independence, greater confidence on the part of Japan, on the global economic stage, will rebound in our favor and that, in fact, will cause Japan and the United States to work ever closer together, because, the fundamentals of our relationship are so strong.
And, lastly, there is some assessment, occasionally, that we are, somehow, adverse to Japan taking extra efforts to build stronger ties with both South Korea and China. Nothing could be further from the truth.
We support and value a government that seeks to have closer relations between Japan and her neighbors, and we see no contradiction between that effort and (Japan's) close alliance and continuing partnership with the United States.
So the idea that we are here and engaging with Japan because of concern is wrong. I would very much encourage you to view this as an expression of our interest and our commitment, rather than of concern.
Q: The Hatoyama administration takes the stance that it will not "automatically" extend the existing special measures law that allows the Maritime Self-Defense Force to engage in refueling operations in the Indian Ocean. How do you view this?
A: We've seen many reports in the press. We've seen a variety of people who profess to represent the interests or the decisions of the new government. It's an early period. And the reason that we're having these deep interactions is to get, clearly, concisely and directly, from the official Japanese government, its views on a range of issues.
So, I'm not going to respond to a variety of reports in the press.
My assessment is that they're still in the midst of formulating their views on a range of issues, and we seek to provide input into that process, and our Japanese friends have been very clear that they want to consult with us, and that's exactly what we'd like to do.
We have been deeply grateful for the support that Japan has provided--humanitarian support, infrastructure development, and the like, in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, and we are at a critical phase, going forward, and any further support from Japan would be particularly welcome.
Q: Let me ask you about the DPJ's position calling for a review of the planned relocation of the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said earlier that Washington has no intention of renegotiating the plan with Tokyo. At the same time, Secretary Clinton said later that every government has a right to change policies. It seems to me that the United States is sending a mixed signal. Could you clarify Washington's position?
A: I don't think we're sending a mixed signal. It is very clear. The U.S. government has sent a very clear message, that our preference is to "stay the course," and to continue with an incredibly complicated set of initiatives, associated with reducing burdens on the people in Okinawa (Prefecture) and refocusing our military presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Those plans are under way. We do believe that is the best way forward.
At the same time, the nature of our partnership requires that it is not enough for us to come in and simply dictate, "This is how it's going to be."
We need to have a process of dialogue and discussion with our new partners in the DPJ, to present clearly our position and what we think is the best way forward.
But, we recognize that, if we, at the outset, issue directives or attempt to dictate outcomes, that undercuts the very thing that we're trying to promote, which is an equal, strong partnership, based on consultation and mutual respect.
So, we're trying to be very clear about what our strong preferences are, but at the same time we recognize that Japan has indicated that it wants a consultation with us on a range of issues. We have to be open to that consultation, and that's one of the reasons why I'm here.
We're prepared for consultation. We have a strong preference to continue what we've negotiated with the Japanese government.
But, at the same time, if a new government comes in and says that it wants to talk with us about it, it is incumbent on us, as a partner, to do just that.
Q: New Foreign Minster Katsuya Okada has ordered Vice Minister Mitoji Yabunaka to clarify the facts surrounding secret military-related deals with the United States that Tokyo has long denied. Do you think this will have a negative impact on the Japan-U.S. alliance?
A: In many respects, this is a domestic matter of Japan, and probably is best left to Foreign Minister Okada and to others who are making plans about how to explore this issue.
I will just say a couple of things. The United States has put out, through Freedom of Information and other processes, quite a lot of information about that period, and we won't have much more to add publicly.
Number two, we believe that, over the course of the next several years, that the challenges we face will require a closer coordination with Japan and, associated with that will be the sharing of very sensitive information. So, we think it's the most important thing to recognize what goes forward, and we don't want anything from the past that will, then, cause anxieties about sharing close information.
And lastly, I would just say that one of the things that's been most exciting about the new government and about our early conversations has been --how forward-looking many of the statements of the leadership have been, a desire to tackle the new issues of Asia. So, I just want to make sure that we recognize what (this new) government is about.
Government is about limited resources and a limited number of hours in a day. We have huge challenges going forward. And I want to make sure that we have the appropriate "bandwidth" to be able to deal with those issues and that we don't spend too much of our time focused looking back.
But, ultimately, this is a decision of the Japanese government, and we will respect that process.
Q: Prime Minister Hatoyama has pledged to aim for a 25 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2025. Does this affect the way Washington is going to deal with this issue?
A: I would just simply say that the proposal is bold, creative and decisive. I know that it has raised some anxieties in some parts of Japan. But, at the same time, I think underscoring it is a recognition of the profound challenge that climate change presents, not just to Japan but to the world.
We are heading into a critical period of diplomacy, in advance of Copenhagen, and I must say, personally, I'm very gratified to see a Japan that takes this issue so seriously. So, at a global level, I welcome it, and I think, ultimately, how it plays into the negotiations, that's a different matter.
But, at the level of a national commitment and a recognition of the importance of the issues, I think it's very welcome.(IHT/Asahi: September 23,2009)
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