Japan, a loyal ally of the United States in Asia, is seeking closer ties with the latter at a time when it has experienced a certain diplomatic setbacks and is facing sour relations with its Asian neighbors.
"If the Japan-US relationship remains intimate, Japan can build better relations with China, South Korea and other countries in Asia as well as the world," Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi described the importance of the alliance on Nov. 16 after a Japanese-US summit meeting.
The Japanese leadership puts hope on a stronger alliance with the US as it is facing a diplomatic impasse in terms of Japan's relationship with China and South Korea following Koizumi's repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 2.5 million Japanese war dead including 14 Class-A World War II criminals.
DIPLOMATIC IMPASSE AND SOURING TIES WITH NEIGHBORS
Since coming to power in 2001, Koizumi has outlasted most of his predecessors thanks to adroit handling of domestic affairs, such as reforms on economy and overhaul of the faction-bristled ruling party. But diplomatic achievement on furthering ties with surrounding countries was not as much satisfactory.
Some Japanese politicians' attitude of whitewashing Japan's history of aggression and colonial ruling in Asia has damaged the country's relations with China and South Korea.
Koizumi's pilgrimages to the Yasukuni Shrine have torpedoed possibilities of meeting with Chinese leaders for the best part of the past years, though the Prime Minister kept saying he wanted to have direct talks. His latest visit to the shrine in October has grounded a regular summit meeting with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun.
Furthermore, a meeting among Chinese, Japanese and South Korean leaders, originally planned as part of the series of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings in Kuala Lumpur this month, has been postponed because the atmosphere and foundation for the meeting is not good as Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao described Monday.
The Japanese leader's failure to correctly face up to the historical issue by successively visiting the Yasukuni shrine was blamed as the cause for the country's sour relations with China and South Korea.
Negotiations with Russia over the territorial issue were bumpy because of Moscow's adamant posture that only two of the four islands off Japan's Hokkaido prefecture will be returned in exchange for a bilateral peace treaty.
Although the two counties are intended to expand cooperation in economy and energy, the political discord is casting a shadow over the prospect.
No breakthrough was achieved during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Japan in late November. Putin raised his concern that the territorial dispute could have impact on economic exchanges.
Although Tokyo has been pursuing a greater political role in the world to match its economic status, Japan's efforts to gain a permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council have yield no breakthrough.
Caught in a diplomatic standstill in Asia and a series of setbacks may have reminded Koizumi the endorsement from the world' s only super power. "The United States remains the most indispensable ally to Japan," Koizumi told a press conference during US President George W. Bush's November visit.
CLOSER TIES WITH THE UNITED STATES
In February, Japanese and US foreign affairs and defense chiefs held a security meeting in Washington to address issues including tighter alliance.
The two countries worked out an interim report in October on the realignment of US troops in Japan. The document will facilitate smoother and more efficient military cooperation.
The realignment plan is faced with vehement protest from the local governments and civil groups in regions concerned. More than 100 local lawmakers issued a statement earlier December, demanding repeal of the plan.
However, at his 12th summit meeting with Bush in November, Koizumi promised that Japan will make "maximum efforts" to help realize the realignment.
Japan has also on Dec. 12 announced a partially end to a two- year-old ban on US beef imports despite the concern about the attendant inflow of mad cow disease remain strong at home.
As some US allies have moved or are withdrawing troops out of Iraq, the Japanese government decided on Dec. 8 to extend the humanitarian assistance mission by the Ground Self-Defense Force for one year to continue its support to the US.
Furthermore, Japan is joining the US to press the United Nations for a reform and calling for a reduction of its financial contribution, following an abortive attempt to secure a permanent membership in the UN Security Council along with Brazil, Germany and India.
FOREIGN POLICY QUESTIONED AT HOME
The Koizumi government's way of handling the country's relations with its close neighbors and the excessive enthusiasm for the Japan-US alliance have given rise to doubt and criticism at home.
"The simplistic thinking that all is well so long as Japan maintains good relations with the United States is tantamount to not thinking at all," said the leading Asahi Shimbun daily in an editorial.
The strong emphasis placed on the bilateral ties could send a signal that Japan might intend to hinder its relations with other countries, particularly its Asian neighbors, Kyodo News said.
Seiji Maehara, leader of the largest opposition Democratic Party of Japan, criticized the biased foreign policy, saying it showed that Japan can not handle its relations with Asian neighbors independently.
Analysts here noted that the Japan-US alliance cannot determine every aspect of Japan's foreign policy. If Koizumi does not reverse his attitude toward the history issue, the relations between Japan and its neighbors will by no means develop healthily no matter how strong the Japan-US relations would be.