Obama, Abe commit to new alliance
Print Edition
THE United States and Japan yesterday sought to reinvigorate their 70-year-old alliance, as President Barack Obama welcomed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the White House.
“Today we welcome Prime Minister Abe as we broaden our alliance for our time,” Obama said as he greeted the Japanese leader on the south lawn of the White House with a display of ceremonial pomp.
“Ours is an alliance focused on the future,” he said.
Hailing the alliance as the “cornerstone of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region,” the two countries vowed to counter new threats and increase military deterrence.
They pledged to forge a Trans-Pacific trade deal that would encompass 12 countries and 40 percent of the world economy and back a dramatically more assertive security role for Japan.
Though the White House has dashed hopes for a breakthrough US-Japan trade deal during Abe’s visit, the leaders will try to push the negotiations forward and chart a path toward a 12-nation Pacific trade pact.
“We welcome the significant progress that has been made in the bilateral negotiations and reaffirm our commitment to work together to achieve a swift and successful conclusion to the broader agreement,” the two governments said in a joint “vision statement.”
Abe, who today will be the first Japanese prime minister to address a joint meeting of the US Congress, will face the challenge of helping Obama win over fellow Democrats who oppose the trade deal as being bad for US jobs.
A deal between the two economic powerhouses is vital to clinching a Trans-Pacific Partnership pact, which would cover a third of world trade. But differences remain between Washington and Tokyo over cars and agriculture.
In welcoming Abe to the White House, Obama stressed what his administration sees as bright spots in the relationship.
“The United States has renewed our leadership in the Asia-Pacific,” he said. “Prime Minister Abe is leading Japan to a new role on the world stage.”
Echoing Obama’s words, Abe said he had made revitalizing the US-Japan relationship “the top priority of my foreign policy” and that it was now “more robust than ever.”
The US and Japan agreed to a new set of defense cooperation guidelines that would “reinforce deterrence” by allowing Japanese forces to come to the aid of US forces and “enable Japan to expand its contributions to regional and global security.”
Amid Japan’s territorial disputes with China, Russia and South Korea, the US reiterated its pledge to come to Japan’s defense.
During the White House visit, Obama held Oval Office talks with Abe and offered a welcome normally reserved for royalty or heads of state, including a full arrival ceremony on the South Lawn and a state dinner last night.
On Monday, Obama took Abe on an unannounced tour of the Lincoln Memorial, riding together in Obama’s armored limousine to underscore their personal ties.
Both Tokyo and the White House had hoped that Obama would have authority from Congress to clinch a trade deal before Abe’s visit, allowing a more definitive announcement.
But political wrangling on Capitol Hill means that may not come to pass before next month.
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