koizumi-bush

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Koizumi and Bush agree to strengthen Japan-U.S. military alliance

Japan's Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro and U.S. President George W. Bush held talks in Kyoto on November 16 and agreed to globalize the Japan-U.S. military alliance.

At a news conference, Koizumi stressed the need to carry out the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan despite strong opposition from local municipalities concerned. He said, "Japan can achieve economic development in peace and security."

He also strongly expressed his intention to extend the deployment of the Self-Defense Forces in Iraq after the present term expires in December.

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi said at a press conference on the same day, "The Prime Minister's attitude of sticking to the Japan-U.S. alliance and seeing the world through the U.S. window has become clearer."

Ichida pointed out that the true nature of the U.S. military realignment in Japan is to establish a framework for joint global military intervention. "It is significant that Prime Minister Koizumi expressed his intention to force the public to accept the realignment plan in defiance of opposition voiced by most of the municipalities concerned," he said.

On the BSE issue, Ichida criticized Koizumi for accepting Bush's request to resume U.S. beef imports even though the Cabinet Food Safety Commission's prison panel did not conclude that U.S. beef is safe. -- Akahata, November 17, 2005