Cheney supports Japan-Australia security agreement

Peter Alford
Tokyo correspondent
February 21, 2007

US Vice-President Dick Cheney is expected to encourage Japan's move towards closer security co-operation with Australia during meetings with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his senior ministers today.

During his week-long tour of both countries, the Americans' closest Asia-Pacific allies, Mr Cheney will discuss the US need for more help in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

Also on the agenda will be North Korea's nuclear weapons and the Australia-Japan security co-operation declaration to be signed by Mr Abe and John Howard next month.

Mr Cheney, who arrived in Tokyo yesterday, will reassure the Japanese Government of the US commitment to protecting its interests in nuclear disarmament negotiations with North Korea.

The Abe Government is unsettled by what it regards as the excessively favourable terms for North Korea approved by US envoy Christopher Hill at last week's six-party agreement.

Mr Cheney is expected to reassure Mr Abe that Japan's particular issue with the Pyongyang regime, the fate of citizens abducted by North Korean agents more than 20 years ago, will not be swept under the table.

But his visit has been complicated by the apparent snub of Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma, whose exclusion from Mr Cheney's Tokyo meetings has been attributed to annoyance at his criticisms of the invasion of Iraq and US handling of military base relocations on Okinawa.

Mr Kyuma and Foreign Minister Taro Aso both claimed yesterday the non-meeting was simply a matter of protocol.

"There is a difference in rank," Mr Kyuma told reporters.

"The Defence Minister would probably meet with the (US) Defence Secretary, but the Vice-President is a matter that pertains to the Prime Minister."

However, Mr Cheney's representative said more than a week ago that Mr Kyuma had requested a meeting, but the Tokyo schedule had already been settled by the time his proposal arrived.

Outside Mr Cheney's hotel last night, a van with loudspeakers caused a brief disturbance as nationalists shouted slogans such as "Yankee go home".

Today, Mr Cheney will hold talks with Mr Abe, Mr Aso and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki. A senior Foreign Ministry official said that the discussions "should be seen in the context of mutual reconfirmation of the importance of the Japan-US alliance".

US officials indicated Mr Cheney would ask the Japanese for more help with the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Japan's Self Defence Forces give logistical support in both campaigns but have no troops on the ground.

Mr Cheney was also due to have an audience with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. However, the empress was ill with a fever and cancelled her appointments yesterday.

Mr Cheney is due to arrive in Australia tomorrow evening.

Cheney's visit to Japan exposes tensions

By David Pilling in Tokyo
Published: Feb 20, 2007

Fumio Kyuma, Japan' s outspoken defence minister, on Tuesday felt obliged to explain why he would not be meeting Dick Cheney, the US vice-president, who on Wednesday begins a visit to Japan during which security will take centre stage.

Mr Cheney, Mr Kyuma explained, could not be expected to meet a mere defence minister. "There is a difference in rank. It is a matter that pertains to the [Japanese] prime minister, " he said.

Behind Mr Kyuma's humble remarks lie an awkward diplomatic moment. Earlier this month he lashed out at US foreign policy, saying Washington was wrong to invade Iraq and lambasting its arrogant attitude towards Okinawa, the island where the bulk of US troops in Japan are stationed.

Tokyo remains Washington's main regional ally, and the relationship is ro­bust enough to survive minor disagreements, analysts say. Yet Mr Kyuma's remarks provoked outrage among Japan-handlers in the Bush administration and the embarrassment that has followed is one of several points of contention.

Japan continues to support US policy in Iraq, a point recently underlined by Shinzo Abe, prime minister, in a speech to Nato and again in parliament.

However, Taro Aso, foreign minister, suggested that Washington's post-invasion strategy had been naive.

Tokyo has begun to pull out 550 ground troops stationed in Iraq to help reconstruction. It has also, however, stepped up the activity of its air self-defence force, which helps to supply US troops in Iraq.

There has also been concern in Japan about the deal struck with North Korea to shut down its main nuclear facility in exchange for oil. Some Japanese officials have, sotto voce, criticised Washington for conceding too much to Pyongyang.

Robert Dujarric, a security expert at the National Institute for Public Policy in the US, said: "The impression is that the deal was hammered out between the US, China and North Korea and that no one asked the Japanese what they thought. "

In particular, Mr Abe's government has been embarrassed by the fact that the deal did not address North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens, although a senior foreign ministry official has countered claims Japan had been sidelined.

"I don't think it is the policy of the US to speed ahead at 100 miles per hour and leave behind all the other issues, including the abduction issue, " the official said. "All the other five parties, including North Korea, know there needs to be a huge participation by Japan. "

READERS IN COUNCIL Why accommodate Cheney?

Sunday, 18, 2007
By YOSHIO SHIMOJI
Naha City, Okinawa

Regarding the Feb. 12 article "U.S. nixes talks with Cheney, Kyuma": If U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney doesn't want to meet with Japanese Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma because of Kyuma's open criticism of the March 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, why let Cheney meet with the officers under Kyuma's command when Cheney visits Japan this week?

Every reasonable person agrees that Kyuma hit the nail on the head. So if Cheney doesn't want to meet with Kyuma because of this, why does it matter? The disgraced Kyuma has authority over the men in uniform whom Cheney wants to meet. What if Kyuma were to order that they not meet with the visitor? Or does Cheney think that since these officers are embedded with U.S. units in the U.S. Pacific Command, he can freely meet with them in outright disregard of their legitimate superior?

The relocation of Futenma U.S. Marine base on Okinawa is another moot point yet to be solved between Japan and the United States. Washington wants Tokyo to expedite the Oct. 25, 2005, agreement by all means, even if it diametrically conflicts with Japan's legal processes and strong local opposition.

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.

Adm. Fallon Reflects on Leaving Pacific

February 18, 2007
By Richard Halloran

When Admiral William Fallon turns over the helm of the Pacific Command to Admiral Timothy Keating next month, he will leave behind what he says are "a lot of things that are works in progress."

"I leave this job with great reluctance and with no small sense of loss," he said in an interview. He noted in particular the relationships cultivated throughout the Asia-Pacific region in the two years he has commanded US forces from the west coast of North America to the east coast of Africa. He had planned to stay in this assignment for another year.

The admiral goes from the Pacific Command's relatively stable area of responsibility to take charge of the Central Command, with headquarters in Tampa, Florida, where he will be responsible for all US forces in the Middle East, including those in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and the Persian Gulf. In that turbulent region, the odds for success may be stacked against him.

Fallon acknowledged the thorny issues that will confront him in his new post where he plans to travel as much as he did in Pacific Command, meeting everyone from heads of government to soldiers who pull triggers. "Those nations have a slew of problems," he said. "There are not so many nations as in Pacific Command but they have more problems and problems that are more difficult to deal with."

Among the works in progress the admiral noted:

China With the backing of former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and then Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Fallon has nurtured a gradual expansion of military exchanges with China. Those contacts are intended to assure the Chinese that the US is not planning to attack them but also to caution them not to miscalculate US military power.

An intriguing question: In his new assignment, will the admiral, who has visited China three times, seek help from China in Iraq or Afghanistan or in the war on terror? He declined to speculate on specifics. He noted that tensions between China and Taiwan had been reduced and that Pacific Command had been "working with Taiwan to build a credible defense."

Terror and Piracy In the southern Philippines, Fallon said, US special operations forces had achieved some success in helping the Filipino armed forces in their fight against Muslim terrorists known as Abu Sayyaf.

In the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea, Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean forces have reduced piracy and, so far, prevented a tie-up between pirates and terrorists. "They are doing it," Fallon said, "and we are helping in the background."

Contingency Plans The admiral said he had ordered the command's contingency plans, such as sending reinforcements to South Korea to fend off a North Korean invasion, to be overhauled and tested "to make sure we can do it."

Fallon said he had placed renewed emphasis on what military planners call "Phase Zero," which is to engage both friendly nations and potential adversaries in an effort to head off open conflict. "We did this so we would not have to employ the kinetic parts of the plan--not have to shoot'em up."

Posturing US Forces As part of the Global Posture Review initiated by former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, Fallon surveyed US forces in the Asia-Pacific region to see whether they "were in locations and of the size appropriate for today and tomorrow."

This included a strategic review with Japan that led to plans for establishing a headquarters for a US Army corps there and moving 8000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam, a new pivot point for US forces in this region. In addition, submarines and bombers are being based in Guam. A sixth aircraft carrier may be added to the Pacific fleet. A reduction of US troops in South Korea has begun and Fallon said "there will be additional changes in the future."

The admiral did a final assessment of Asian and Pacific nations having security arrangements with the US. Japan: "Reaffirmed commitment." Singapore: "Wonderful relations." Indonesia: "Renewed relations." India: "New partner." Australia: "Staunch ally."

Admiral Fallon said he had sent a team to brief Admiral Keating in Colorado where he heads the Northern Command responsible for US homeland security. Keating has served in Pacific Command in Hawaii and led an aircraft carrier group based in Japan. At one time, he commanded the Naval Strike Warfare Center in Nevada, perhaps best known as the site of the Navy's "Top Gun" competition.

US deploys stealth fighters in Japan

Feb 17 02:09 AM US/Eastern

The US has flown its latest stealth fighter jets to Japan for their first overseas deployment in a show of strength days after North Korea signed a deal on its nuclear programme.

Two F-22A Raptors, which can evade radar detection at supersonic speeds, touched down on the southern island of Okinawa, strategically located near the Korean peninsula and the Taiwan Strait.

Ten more were due to arrive at the US Kadena air force base on Sunday for the temporary deployment, which is expected to include drills in Japan and South Korea.

The deployment of the jets and their 250 personnel, who are based at Langley in Virginia, has caused protests from North Korea and some residents of Okinawa, which shoulders half the US troops in Japan.

The arrival had been delayed by seven days due to bad weather and minor software hitches, according to the US military.

The military has denied a Japanese newspaper report that the deployment was held up so as not to interfere with negotiations with North Korea, which agreed Tuesday to shut down key nuclear facilities.

"This F-22 deployment is the latest example of the flexibility that US forces have to meet our ongoing commitments and security obligations throughout the Pacific region," an Air Force statement said.

The deployment followed North Korea's first ever nuclear test in October and a string of missile launches last July.

The planes will be deployed "somewhere in the ballpark of 90 to 120 days, so roughly until late April or early May sometime," said Colonel Anne Morris, spokeswoman for the US Forces in Japan.

The first overseas deployment "underscores the US commitment to the US-Japan security alliance," she said.

The US military says the Raptors, which were developed by Boeing and Lockheed-Martin and went into service in December 2005, are unmatched by any other aircraft in their ability to hit air or ground targets without detection.

"With the deployment, America's military strength in the Far East will be even greater," said Haruo Fujii, a prominent Japanese military analyst.

"This demonstrates the Pentagon's strong intention to achieve overwhelming military superiority in the region, and the prime target, of course, is the Korean peninsula."

North Korea had lashed out at the deployment, linking it to the nuclear talks.

In late January, the North's official Korean Central News Agency criticised the action and called the separate US deployment of F-117 Nighthawk Stealth fighters in South Korea "a dangerous military move" going against "peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue."

The North nonetheless agreed on Tuesday in six-nation talks in Beijing to shut down key nuclear facilities in exchange for oil shipments.

The deployment has also raised some hackles in Okinawa, which has a sizeable movement against the US forces.

The local assembly of Kadena town unanimously adopted a resolution against the deployment in late January.

Assembly member Koei Tanaka, who heads the town's committee on base issues, accused US forces of causing crime and noise.

"Residents here live with multiple fears and worries," Tanaka said. "Our patience has already reached a limit. We cannot tolerate more than that."

Okinawa, which was ruled by Washington from 1945 to 1972, has frequently seen tension with US troops, particularly in 1995 after three US Marines gang-raped a 12-year-old girl.

U.S. nixes talks with Cheney, Kyuma

Kyodo News
When U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney comes to Japan this month, he probably won't be meeting with Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma.

Government sources said Sunday that the United States has asked that no meeting between the two be scheduled, conveying strong displeasure over Kyuma's recent criticism of the Iraq war and the realignment of U.S. forces.

The request underlines that the two nations have yet to put Kyuma's controversial remarks behind them, although they appeared to have settled the flap when Washington lodged a protest through diplomatic channels.

Kyuma said Jan. 24 that President George W. Bush's decision to invade Iraq was "wrong." Three days later, he said the U.S. lacks understanding over the government's talks with Okinawa Prefecture on relocating Futenma Air Station.

After arriving in Tokyo on Feb. 20, Cheney is scheduled to visit the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, the next day to meet with top U.S. and Self-Defense Forces officers.

Meeting with SDF officers but shunning talks with the defense minister would be highly unusual.

Later Feb. 21, Cheney will hold talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Taro Aso, and attend a dinner at the Prime Minister's Official Residence.
The Japan Times: Monday, Feb. 12, 2007

U.S. asks for Cheney not meeting Kyuma after remarks over Iraq war

TOKYO, Feb. 12 Kyodo [2007]

The United States has asked Japan not to schedule a meeting between U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and Japanese Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma during Cheney's visit to Japan from Feb. 20, conveying strong displeasure with Kyuma's recent controversial remarks, sources close to the matter said Sunday.

The request underlined that the two nations have yet to fully put behind Kyuma's critical remarks over the Iraq war and the realignment of U.S. forces although they appeared to have settled the case with Washington's recent protest lodged with Tokyo through diplomatic channels.

Cheney is scheduled to meet top officers of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, and if the meeting with Kyuma is actually not set, it will turn out to be an unusual case of a foreign leader meeting with SDF officers but shunning talks with the chief of the Defense Ministry.

Kyuma angered Washington by saying Jan. 24 that U.S. President George W. Bush's decision to start the war on Iraq was ''wrong.'' Three days later, Kyuma said the United States lacks understanding over talks with Okinawa Prefecture over relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station within the prefecture.

Foreign Minister Taro Aso also made a controversial remark on Feb. 3, calling the U.S. policy on Iraq ''very naive.'' But the Cheney side is not raising his remarks particularly as a problem, the sources said.

The sources also said Kyuma's remarks are not affecting other diplomatic schedules such as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the United States expected during the Golden Week holidays in early May as well as the ongoing arrangements to hold the so-called ''two-plus-two'' top security meeting of foreign and defense ministers of the two nations.

Cheney is scheduled to arrive in Japan on Feb. 20 and visit the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Feb. 21 for a briefing by top officers of the U.S. forces and the SDF about their progressing defense cooperation.

After the briefing, Cheney will head to Tokyo for talks with Abe and Aso and attend a welcoming dinner at the premier's official residence.

Cheney will visit the U.S. aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk at the Yokosuka base on Feb. 22 before heading to Guam. [*486*] Feb 11 01:07 PM US/Eastern