“Projecting Japan-U.S. Relations into the Future”

Address by Ambassador Ryozo Kato to Asia Society of Washington

The Fairmont Washington Hotel
Friday, April 21, 2006

It is a great honor to appear before the Asia Society and address such a distinguished audience.

Today, I would like to talk about the current state of Japan-U.S. relations and how I see our future in East Asia.

Concerning my view of the future, I believe the immortal Yogi Berra said it best when he said, “Prediction is difficult, especially about the future.” So, while I may not be able to predict the future with 100 percent certainty, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Japan and the United States fought the Second World War as enemies but now enjoy a relationship based on friendship and camaraderie. This alliance has served both countries well over these past six decades. During the Cold War, when facing the Soviet threat, the Japan-U.S. relationship formed a bulwark against that threat.

Then, with the crumbling of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, a fundamental question was asked: “What is the significance of the Japan-U.S. alliance in the post Cold War era?”

In the ensuing 15 plus years since that question was first asked, the answer for me is clear: Since the end of the Cold War, the significance of the Japan-U.S. alliance has grown even further, and the scope of our roles has expanded.

As our friendship has continued to flourish, even our habits and lifestyles have become intertwined. Who could have predicted that it would be just as easy to order a “California Roll” in St. Louis as it would be to get a “Big Mac” near Mt. Fuji.

How about being able to watch TV shows like E.R. or West Wing in Osaka, while kids in Little Rock collect “Pokemon” cards. Even more amazing, especially for a baseball fan like myself, is to see Japanese players not only playing major league baseball but thriving and succeeding. And this baseball exchange works in both directions. Just last year, former major league player and manager Bobby Valentine led the Chiba Lotte Marines to a Japan World Series title.

This meshing together of cultures and values is also reflected in the three components which make up our alliance — our common values, our common interests, and our common actions.

Let me begin with our common values.

After the Cold War, the following values became even more important: freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. The end of the Cold War signified a victory for these core values. Now the focus has shifted to promoting these values around the world. Democracy continues to march forward in East Asia in places such as Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan. This is a broad-based trend and one which will continue to progress.

Japan has a long history of democracy. It is the oldest democracy in Asia and we held general elections over 80 years ago in 1925. In rebuilding Japan in the post war era, democracy and respect for human rights became the foundation on which modern Japan was rebuilt.

Working hand-in-hand with the United States, Japan set a course toward implementing these values in East Asia and in the world at large. That work is now more vitally important than ever.

Next, let’s take a look at our shared common interests.

Japan and the United States share common interests in many areas, including peace and stability in East Asia, keeping the sea lanes open and secure, and peace and stability in the Middle East. These common interests, coupled with our shared values, serve as a cornerstone of our alliance. But in the post Cold War era, threats are much more diversified. In place of a single threat, the international community now faces multiple threats of terrorism, poverty, environmental concerns and a host of other issues.

In East Asia, the region must specifically tackle issues including “the rise of China” and issues related to the Korean Peninsula. In this context, the respective roles of Japan and the U.S. have broadened in response to the diverse problems we now face.

Currently, there are ongoing consultations between our two countries on the restructuring of U.S. forces in the region. These talks must address our response to these new threats. We need to share perceptions on regional situations and the security environment, to sort out our respective roles, missions and capabilities.

As part of that process, Japan and the United States are collaborating on our common actions. Japan has become a much more active country in response to the diversity of the threats and the multidimensional nature of the issues facing us.

Due to our shared values and interests, Japan and the United States have been working in concert across a very broad range of areas. Some examples of our “common actions” include: sending Japanese Self-Defense Forces to join international activities in the Indian Ocean and Middle East; taking on relief operations following the December 2004 tsunami disaster; addressing a broad range of developmental issues; and cooperating to tackle the avian influenza epidemic.

We also see a deepening of shared action in the division of the defense/military roles between Japan and the United States. The division of roles has been consistent: the Japanese Self-Defense Forces are essentially defensive, and the U.S. Forces play a more offensive role. But as the world evolves and we face new unforeseen threats such as a nuclear North Korea, Japan needed to adapt itself to address these imminent threats. Through hard work, perseverance, and intense debate among the Japanese people, Japan has been able to implement the changes necessary to meet these new threats.

While these changes do not alter the “bright line” between the “frontline” U.S. Forces and “logistic support” provided by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, they do provide the Self-Defense Forces with a legal foundation for logistic support for U.S. Forces dealing with emergency situations which occur around Japan even when Japan itself has not been attacked. In addition, recent legislations provide for logistic support for U.S. and other forces which fight in the war on terror and for the freedom in Iraq. As Japan has embarked on a path of positively engaging itself internationally, criticism of “ Japan’s emerging militarism” is off the mark.

In the over 60 years since the end of the war, Japan’s record has clearly been one of strongly supporting democracy, not fomenting international disputes, and pursuing the realization of international peace and stability. In fact, this evolution of Japanese policy has only expanded the scope of our positive actions. Based upon the common values, common interests and common actions, Japan and the United States now enjoy an excellent bilateral relationship. Yet, this doesn’t necessarily mean that there is a seamless connection between our two countries.

I often compare our alliance to a garden. Constant and careful tending is needed. We must not think for a minute that just because we have the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, our alliance can be left untended and we can expect to enjoy a plentiful harvest. On the contrary, our alliance is constantly being exposed to and tested by the issues that crop up from time to time.

Allow me to touch upon several issues which merit particular attention.

First, the issue of managing the security alliance. Japan-US security arrangements have made an enormous contribution to the peace and stability of the region. Nevertheless, further coordination should be pursed in order to ensure that our forces can provide a credible deterrent against any possible attack on Japan, whether by a traditional state or by a non-state entity. We must also make an effort to reduce the burden borne by those Japanese citizens who reside in areas with a higher concentration of U.S. forces. To this purpose, a dialogue between our two governments is currently in progress.

Second, we need to work even harder to integrate the economies of Japan and the United States. One way to create an environment for closer cooperation could be through the implementation of a Free Trade Agreement. In November of last year, the Japan-U.S. Business Conference issued a joint statement urging our governments to initiate exploratory talks on an Economic Partnership Agreement between our two countries. Japan and the United States together, account for approximately 40% of world GDP. Could a Trade Agreement between the two countries be one that complements the WTO? The United States and Europe seem to be cautious in advancing a US-Europe FTA because it may undermine the WTO. With or without a FTA, however, Japan and the United States should take steps to strengthen the bilateral economic partnership based upon our past achievements and what we can accomplish together as we move forward.

Third, in this connection, one important aspect of our closer economic ties is how to strike a good balance between security and legitimate trade and travel. Japan and the United States are cooperating closely in the war against terror. However, security measures should not hamper the flow of well-intentioned tourists and businessmen and useful goods between our two counties. For example, it would be mutually beneficial if the two countries could combine their expertise and advanced technology to facilitate airport security procedures for registered frequent travelers. This could be accomplished by creating a common biometric detection system and by harmonizing cargo security standards and procedures. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, visited Japan in late March and agreed with his Japanese counterparts to continue a high level dialogue for that purpose. I hope that we will see a tangible result in this area soon.

Fourth, beef trade between Japan and the United States must be restored. Bilateral beef trade was restored on December 12 of last year. However, due to a clear violation by a US exporter, and the failure by the US inspectors to detect that violation, Japan decided to suspend import procedures on January 20. Both governments share the common goal of restoring beef trade on the basis of the conditions agreed upon last December. Japan will resume import procedures once it is certain that appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of violations are introduced and effective.

Not only has Japan asserted itself concerning bilateral relations, but Japan has increased its influence internationally. In their meeting in Crawford in May 2003, Prime Minister Koizumi and President Bush reaffirmed the significance of the “Japan-U.S. alliance in the global context”, and agreed to further strengthen it through close cooperation.

The Japan-U.S. alliance should not and is not a one-way street. In order for it to be a two-way street, it is important that both Japan and the United States have an idea of “what it wants.” In the past, Japan would decide what it was going to do after it saw “what the other countries were doing” when responding to international situations. Now, as can be seen in its response to tsunami relief, efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan and a host of other issues, Japan is increasingly becoming a country which is cognizant of its responsibilities and has become “a country other countries look to.”

Then, what does Japan want? I believe Japan wants to more actively engage itself in the evolution of East Asia in particular, and the world as a whole, based upon our common values. Freedom and democracy are now prevailing at a great rate in East Asia. This development has brought about economic prosperity in many countries, which produces a highly opinionated middle class. Combine all these factors and we can see our common values consolidated in East Asia and spreading amongst the world at large.

In this context, I would like to briefly touch upon the issue of history which casts a shadow over East Asia’s past, present and future. By this I mean Japan’s colonial rule and aggression. There were aggressions, wars, and colonial rule. We cannot forget history, nor should we. Memories of those events still linger within us. However, it is possible to appropriately deal with history, acknowledge it and move forward.

As is often said by President Bush himself, what has been achieved between Japan and the United States is profoundly enlightening. The war was settled between Japan and the U.S. through the conclusion of the San Francisco Peace Treaty. Subsequently, because of both countries’ repeated efforts we have succeeded in overcoming past conflicts and difficulties, and have now developed an extremely close friendship that in my opinion, is second to none.

As I previously stated, over the course of these 60+ years, Japan has an impeccable record as a country determined to promote democracy, human rights and human dignity throughout the world. This commitment is clearly reflected in the most recent public opinion polls. In a recent worldwide poll conducted by the BBC in 33 countries, Japan received the highest positive ranking of all the countries included in the survey. In addition, closer to home, in the latest poll conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs found that 72% of all Americans felt that Japan is a “dependable” ally. This shows how allies and friends can put history behind them without forgetting or recognizing past events, and move forward in the pursuit of a better future.

The primary reason why there is an uncommon closeness and camaraderie between Japan and the United States is that both countries put forth the appropriate effort to deal with their past history. This unique relationship, with a true give-and-take between friends has allowed the Japan – U.S. relationship to evolve and prosper. It is our hope that this relationship would serve as a model for the type of future oriented relationship Japan has been striving for with other countries in the world.

Now let me talk about what Japan wants to do in collaboration with the U.S.

First, regional security. As I said in the context of common interests, now that the missions of the Alliance are much wider and broader than during the Cold War, Japan and the United States should expand their defense-military roles, missions and capabilities to be able to cope with a variety of new situations. To attain this goal, our two countries should increase the flexibility of operations. For one, inter-operability must be enhanced. More co-uses of bases of U.S. Forces and Japanese Self-Defense Forces should soon be realized.

Second, economy and trade. Japan and the United States should work together to create new global norms and rules in these increasingly complex areas, including economic development. We have been cooperating closely in our assistance to such countries as Iraq and Afghanistan and in combating avian flu. Our cooperation plays an indispensable part in enhancing Intellectual Property Rights throughout the world. We continue to work together for a successful conclusion to the WTO Doha Round negotiations. We work jointly to tackle global warming in the framework of Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate.

These are just a few examples, but I am confident we can do more.

Before closing, let me briefly touch upon Chinese President Hu’s  visit to Washington DC. The United States has been urging China to become a responsible stakeholder in the international community. We are very pleased to hear that President Bush had extensive discussions on this point with President Hu. Japan also wishes our neighbor to play a constructive role in East Asia and beyond. Recently, in spite of some political issues, Sino-Japanese relations have undergone spectacular development in terms of trade, investment, and person-to-person exchanges. We are always ready and glad to enhance the relationship between our two countries in order to further secure the stability and prosperity of the region, a goal toward which Japan and the United States have also been working together. Let me just add that to further promote better relations between Japan and China, Japan is ready at anytime to hold talks, discussions, negotiations, with the Chinese to that end.

Finally, let me reiterate that we need a clear vision of this world and a more effective cooperation between our two countries. It is the transformation of the Alliance itself. And the Alliance is in the process of evolving into a wider, broader partnership that will culminate in the not-so-distant future in the achievement of establishing an historic Pacific Alliance; and that Pacific Alliance will hold high the torch of freedom and democracy in the Asia Pacific region for this new century and beyond.

Thank you for listening.(End)