U.S., Japan unveil new security pact

PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. and Japan unveiled a new pact aimed at overhauling the two countries’ security arrangements and paving the way for a more robust participation of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in disaster relief, peacekeeping operations, missile defense and other military missions, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The agreement is the result of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s drive to shed many of the limits placed on Japan’s armed forces under its postwar, pacifist constitution. The new guidelines were unveiled Monday, April 27, at the start of Abe’s visit this week to the U.S., which will feature an address to Congress and meeting with President Barack Obama.

The agreement—called the Joint Defense Guidelines—comes as the U.S., Japan and other American allies in Asia look for ways to address China’s military modernization and its more aggressive territorial claims in the South and East China seas.

U.S. officials say the new agreement isn’t about China, but it is likely to be greeted skeptically by Beijing, which views the Abe administration’s military intentions with suspicion, according to the Journal.

Zhu Haiquan, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said the U.S.-Japan relationship “should not step outside bilateral boundaries” to undermine the interests of another country.

“We hope that relevant parties will make positive efforts to enhance mutual trust and promote common peace, stability in the region, rather than the opposite,” Zhu said.

Secretary of State John Kerry said the guidelines represent a historic transition for Japan and its alliance with the U.S. “Today, we mark the establishment of Japan’s capacity to defend not just its own territory but also the U.S. and other partners as needed,” he said, speaking in New York with other U.S. and Japanese officials. “The guidelines…will enhance Japan’s security, deter threats and contribute to regional peace and stability.”

U.S. officials said that most important, the new guidelines will remove any geographic limits on the Japanese forces, allowing Japan’s military—with permission of its parliament—to participate in defense operations around the globe.

Under the old guidelines, which have been revised periodically, Japanese and U.S. operations were primary focused on the defense of Japanese territories, according to the Journal.

“The current guidelines are unrestricted with respect to geography,” said Defense Secretary Ash Carter. “That is a very big change—from being locally focused to globally focused.” He said there are a range of issues in the region and around the world on which the U.S. and Japan must cooperate.

“There is North Korea, for example, and deterrence of provocative behavior by North Korea,” Carter said. “That is an important joint effort of the alliance and one strengthened in many ways though the guidelines.”

Under the agreement, the two countries announced a new alliance coordination mechanism made up of officials from their diplomatic and defense departments as well as the military.

“In peacetime and also in emergency situations between Japan and the United States, consultations will take place under this mechanism,” said Gen Nakatani, the Japanese minister of defense.

U.S. and Japanese officials said many details of implementing the new guidelines will need to be worked out. Still, U.S. officials ticked off a range of areas the agreement will allow stepped up cooperation, including minesweeping around the globe, missile defense, and cyber and reconnaissance activities.