Hashimoto says U.S. presence in Asia required

Hashimoto says U.S. presence in Asia required

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto told ASEAN leaders yesterday that the presence of American troops in Asia and closer ties with China were crucial to promoting regional security.

"We had a very candid exchange of views on security," Hashimoto told a news conference after unprecedented talks with leaders from the nine-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"It is necessary to secure the American presence in the Asia- Pacific region," he said. "This is a must."

The Japanese prime minister also highlighted the importance of expanding military dialog with China, which has objected strongly to recent moves by Tokyo and Washington to expand the scope of their 37-year-old security treaty to areas "surrounding" the Japanese archipelago.

"Security dialogs are expanding both this year and next year. More dialogs between experts will erase as much as possible the chances of any misunderstanding," Hashimoto said.

In a joint statement released by the Japanese and ASEAN leaders, the two sides said they "recognized the importance of enhancing political and security dialogs and exchanges" as well as "close cooperation to promote regional peace and stability".

Such a security dialog between Japan and ASEAN countries is "unprecedented", a Japanese official said.

Several ASEAN countries, notably Singapore and the Philippines, still harbor bitter memories of Japan's wartime occupation.

In other countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia, however, the Japanese military is more fondly remembered for its role in helping to train indigenous people seeking to overthrow Dutch and British colonial rule.

During their talks on security cooperation and arrangements, the Japanese and ASEAN leaders "confirmed their intention to intensify cooperation at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)," the statement said.

Set up three years ago as the first regional security body in Asia, the ARF includes major powers such as the United States, Russia, China and India as well as Japan and all nine members of ASEAN.

The statement -- the first of its kind since then prime minister Takeo Fukuda met leaders from the founding five ASEAN countries in the Malaysian capital in 1977 -- also welcomed the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty signed by ASEAN in Bangkok in 1995.

"Several ASEAN leaders appreciated Japan's role in promoting regional security and building confidence," said a senior Japanese official who attended yesterday's summit meeting.

The official specifically mentioned Ali Alatas, the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs representing President Soeharto who was unable to attend the East Asian summit due to illness.

During a trip to Singapore in January this year, Hashimoto proposed "broader and deeper" ties with ASEAN beyond trade and investment an well as "frank" bilateral dialogs on regional security with each ASEAN member.

At the time, the Japanese foreign ministry billed the initiative as the "Hashimoto Doctrine", recalling the so-called "Fukuda Doctrine" launched at ASEAN's 10th anniversary in 1977, when the visiting Japanese prime minister pledged $1 billion in aid to Southeast Asian countries.