Japan Brief / FPCJ, No. 0912
February 28, 2009


Japan-US Summit and the Building of a “Multilayered Alliance”

Prime Minister Taro Aso held summit talks with US President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington on February 24. The two leaders affirmed the necessity of strengthening the Japan-US alliance and also discussed a wide range of issues, including global financial and economic problems, the North Korea problem, the stabilization of Afghanistan, and climate change. They agreed to enhance Japan-US cooperation in addressing these urgent issues.

Japan’s main newspapers on February 25 carried reports on the Japan-US summit talks under such headlines as “Japan, US to collaborate on economic policy, build ‘multilayered alliance’” (Yomiuri Shimbun), “US president urges Japan to share responsibility” (Mainichi Shimbun), and “Japan, US affirm strengthening of alliance” (Asahi Shimbun). They drew particular attention to the fact that the two leaders had declared a policy of bilateral cooperation on the various problems facing the international community. The following is a summary of the talks based on these reports.

Obama Administration Hopes for International Contribution from Japan

Prime Minister Aso’s visit to the United States was most unusual. Until now new US presidents had never chosen the Japanese prime minister to be the first foreign leader invited to the White House under their administration. Moreover, despite President Obama’s busy schedule (he was to deliver his first policy speech to a joint session of both chambers of the US Congress that afternoon), the talks went on for 20 minutes longer than the scheduled one hour.

At the start of the meeting, regarding the fact that Prime Minister Aso was the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House since his appointment, President Obama said that it was evidence of the solid partnership that existed between Japan and the United States. The president emphasized that “the alliance we have is the cornerstone of security in East Asia” and that “it’s one that my administration wants to strengthen.” President Obama also said that “Japan has been a ‘great partner’ on issues ranging from climate change to Afghanistan.” Prime Minister Aso responded, “We are the world’s number-one and number-two economic powers. We must work hand-in-hand and cooperate in addressing numerous challenges.”

Main Content of Japan-US Summit Talks

According to the Japanese side, the Japanese and US leaders held discussions on the following issues:
・Japan-US relations: The two leaders agreed to tackle global issues together on the basis of the Japan-US alliance and to steadily implement the reorganization of US forces stationed in Japan on the basis of the roadmap.
・International finance and economy: The two leaders agreed that, as the leading economic powers in the world, Japan and the United States would make the utmost efforts toward recovery of the global economy. They affirmed the importance of maintaining the credibility of the dollar as the key currency and the fact that countering protectionism was an important obligation for both countries.
・North Korea: Prime Minister Aso stated that “a comprehensive solution to the abduction, nuclear, and missile issues is important.” President Obama replied that he was well aware of this and that it was important to continue close cooperation between Japan and the United States on these issues. The two leaders agreed to cooperate in the six-party talks toward the realization of North Korea’s verifiable and complete denuclearization.
・Afghanistan and Pakistan: Prime Minister Aso stressed that, rather than looking at Afghanistan alone, it was important to take a regional approach, including Pakistan and Iran, and announced that Japan would host a conference of countries supporting Pakistan. President Obama replied that he agreed completely and that, from that perspective, the United States also was conducting a comprehensive review.
・Climate change and energy: The two leaders agreed to begin consultations on concrete cooperation in the fields of clean energy and energy saving. On climate change, they agreed to cooperate closely toward the formation of a framework for 2013 and beyond.

As the background to the cordial welcome given to Prime Minister Aso, a Washington correspondent of the Asahi (February 25) noted that, as a priority issue, the Obama administration was facing the difficult task of overcoming the economic crisis. The correspondent wrote, “There is no other country in the Asia-Pacific region that has as much national power as Japan and that the United States can actually rely on.” The report added, “In the talks today, President Obama himself urged Japan to further expand domestic demand.”

Newspaper Editorials on the Japan-US Summit

On February 26 all five of Japan’s main newspapers took up the Japan-US summit talks in their editorials.

Calling on Japan to fulfill its international obligations more actively, the Yomiuri editorial stated, “Continuing multilayered cooperation in broader fields will do much to strengthen the Japan-US alliance significantly. In their first meeting in Washington on Tuesday, Prime Minister Taro Aso and US President Barack Obama confirmed that their countries will cooperate closely in dealing with the global financial meltdown, assistance for Afghanistan’s reconstruction, and the North Korean threat, among other issues. The Obama administration aspires to multinational cooperative diplomacy. Japan should respond to this new US policy and pursue its own diplomacy more actively.”

The Asahi editorial commented, “As Obama put it, the Japan-US alliance is ‘the cornerstone’ of security in East Asia. Based on that recognition, the two countries agreed to work together on various international problems, including global environmental measures. Although the outcome was expected, it is a good starting point. However, we cannot dispel our doubts about a ‘weak prime minister’ advancing summit diplomacy. Aso’s presence as a national leader is being questioned as his cabinet faces abysmal public approval ratings and calls are growing for his resignation . . . .”

Referring to the fact that Prime Minister Aso was the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House under the Obama administration, the Mainichi editorial remarked, “Coupled with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s choice of Japan for her first overseas visit, it can be seen as a manifestation of the importance the Obama administration places on Japan.” However, it also noted, “It was unusual not to have a joint press conference or luncheon.” The Mainichi went on, “The brusque response might have been because the US side saw the Aso administration’s free-falling approval rating and knew it was on the verge of collapse.” It concluded, “Diplomacy can only be promoted with the support of the people.”

The Nikkei editorial commented, “Facing a difficult situation domestically, Prime Minister Aso probably visited the United States in the early days of the Obama administration in the hope of giving a boost to his popularity at home. In agreeing to the visit, the US side is said to have had China in mind.” It added, however, that President Obama probably placed more importance on welcoming the “prime minister of Japan” rather that building personal ties with Aso.

The Sankei Shimbun editorial observed, “Prime Minister Aso faces a harsh situation domestically, but more than anything else it is important from now on to specifically implement the proposals [made in the summit talks] in order to upgrade the Japan-US alliance into an even more multilayered relationship.”

(Copyright 2009 Foreign Press Center / Japan)


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