January 8, 2011
Foreign Minister Maehara Seiji in the United States on January 6 and gave a lecture at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and held talks with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.
His visit to the U.S. right at the beginning of the year illustrates the government’s clear subordination to the U.S. government. The foreign minister stated there that Japan’s entry into the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact is part of the effort to strengthen Japan-U.S. relations and that the government will swiftly promote the “relocation” of the U.S. Futenma base in Okinawa so as not to impair any functions of the bilateral alliance. These remarks indicate a dangerous characteristic of the government led by the Democratic Party of Japan which gives priority to U.S. interests over the interests of the Japanese people.
As representing an independent nation, what the government must do is to relay to the U.S. government the Okinawans’ call for the unconditional removal of the Futenma base. However, Maehara in his lecture at the CSIS expressed that the Japan-U.S. alliance is “vitally important not only to the defense of Japan but also to the peace and stability of the Asia Pacific region as the region’s public goods.”
Regarding Japan’s participation in the TPP, the foreign minister stated at the CSIS, “[I]t will have great economic as well as political significance. I regard this also as part of the process of strengthening Japan-US relations.”
Japan’s entry into the TPP will destroy domestic agriculture and drastically change the basis of this country. What Maehara agreed to was to force Japanese citizens to accept a further deterioration of national agriculture and their living conditions for the sake of the bilateral alliance.
Maehara repeatedly declared during his speech that his government will carry out the Japan-U.S. agreement on the relocation of the U.S. Futenma base in Ginowan City to the Henoko district of Nago City, Okinawa. “It will be essential to not invite a situation that might undermine the functioning of the Japan-US alliance,” he stated. This should be regarded as a threat to Okinawans opposing the base relocation within the prefecture. The government’s eagerness to realize at any cost its cozy relations with the U.S. must not be tolerated.
As representing an independent nation, what the government must do is to relay to the U.S. government the Okinawans’ call for the unconditional removal of the Futenma base. However, Maehara in his lecture at the CSIS expressed that the Japan-U.S. alliance is “vitally important not only to the defense of Japan but also to the peace and stability of the Asia Pacific region as the region’s public goods.”
Regarding Japan’s participation in the TPP, the foreign minister stated at the CSIS, “[I]t will have great economic as well as political significance. I regard this also as part of the process of strengthening Japan-US relations.”
Japan’s entry into the TPP will destroy domestic agriculture and drastically change the basis of this country. What Maehara agreed to was to force Japanese citizens to accept a further deterioration of national agriculture and their living conditions for the sake of the bilateral alliance.
Maehara repeatedly declared during his speech that his government will carry out the Japan-U.S. agreement on the relocation of the U.S. Futenma base in Ginowan City to the Henoko district of Nago City, Okinawa. “It will be essential to not invite a situation that might undermine the functioning of the Japan-US alliance,” he stated. This should be regarded as a threat to Okinawans opposing the base relocation within the prefecture. The government’s eagerness to realize at any cost its cozy relations with the U.S. must not be tolerated.
