Japan must say ‘Yes, we can’ to the U.S.

Japan Press Weekly

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

Japan must say ‘Yes, we can’ to the U.S. - former U.S. official

At a meeting of Liberal Democratic Party Dietmembers involved in security and foreign relations held at LDP headquarters in June, a former U.S. administration official said that Japan should be able to say “Yes, we can,” in response to U.S. requests.

Michael Green, the Japan chair of the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), Washington, D.C. made the remark. He served the U.S. Bush administration as senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council from January 2004 to December 2005.

An LDP Dietmember said that Green’s remark apparently reflected the Bush administration’s strong dissatisfaction with the Fukuda Cabinet’s failure to fulfill its promises.

The U.S. government’s biggest concern at present is about the plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City, Okinawa, to another site within the prefecture. The planned relocation, which is to be complete by 2014, has been stalled due to strong local opposition. In the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly election in June, the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties were unable to secure their majority.

After the ruling parties failed to maintain their majority in the House of Councilors in the election last summer, the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s refueling operation in the Indian Ocean was temporarily suspended. The House of Councilors rejected the special agreement on Japan’s payment of costs for the stationing of U.S. forces in Japan. This series of developments could shake the foundation of the Japan-U.S. alliance.

At the LDP Dietmembers’ meeting, Green stressed that the deployment of Self-Defense Forces to Afghanistan is the touchstone of the Japan-U.S. alliance in the future.

Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo cannot say “no” to the Bush administration’s repeated request to send the SDF to Afghanistan.

Some politicians in the government and LDP are concerned that Japan’s failure to respond to demands from a new U.S. government starting next year might undermine their bilateral relations.

What if Japan fails to follow the U.S.? Such anxiety motivates Japanese conservative forces to try to maintain the nation’s subservience to the U.S.

- Akahata, July 21, 2008