politics

Abe likely to visit U.S. April 26 to May 2

15 Comments

The Japanese and U.S. governments are finalizing arrangements for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to visit the U.S. during the Golden Week holidays from April 26 until May 2.

During his visit, Abe will hold a summit with U.S. President Barack Obama at which the two leaders will likely discuss the Trans-Pacific Pact trade agreement, revised bilateral defense cooperation guidelines and Japan's contribution to fighting terrorism, TV Asahi reported Monday. Abe is also expected to brief Obama on the security-related bills that the Japanese government hopes to have passed in the Diet in May.

Plans are also in the works for Abe to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress, the first time a Japanese prime minister has ever done so.

© Japan Today

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15 Comments
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So basically Abe is going to report to his boss and see if there are any other orders he need to follow.

6 ( +13 / -7 )

@warispeace

Pretty much what it is. I'm gunna get thumbs down, but let's hear the debate...

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Yeah the US is so much Japan's boss that the TPP has been ratified and Futenma has been moved. Oh wait, IT HASN'T. SMH at the looney toon commentators.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

US has allowed every President of South Korea (President Park included) to address a joint session of US Congress, but US kept denying for Japan. I hoped Abe did not ask for it.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

The US forced itself to become involved in WWII so it would have an excuse to test a nuclear bomb, then become Japan's military and economic master. Pear Harbor could have been avoided but the blimp on the radar was ignored so the "day of infamy" was forced on America. The actual day of infamy was when Woodrow Wilson signed into law the creation of the Federal Reserve Bank, thus creating permanent slavery for all races.

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

Basically US is Japan's boss Japan and the whole world's boss.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

Another Golden Week vacation with the missus and getting the VIP treatment with our tax money. And how many other cabinet members and politicians are going to do the same? Speak before Congress and say what? It will be the same, "We stand by you, blah, blah, blah..." LDP at its best, business as usual.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

@scipantheist

Yeah the US is so much Japan's boss that the TPP has been ratified and Futenma has been moved. Oh wait, IT HASN'T. SMH at the looney toon commentators.

Just because successive governments in Japan bend over forwards and backwards to please their master (the introduction of neo-liberal economic policy is a good example) does not mean that everyone in Japan is so willing. There are agricultural association and Okinawans with the backbone to stand up and fight for their rights and sovereignty, which is why action on TPP and Futenma takes time to be resolved in US favour.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Wow. I love JapanToday, where it's always fair game to say whatever nonsense about America, but not anyone else.

Where to begin.

First off, @avigator,

"The US forced itself to become involved in WWII so it would have an excuse to test a nuclear bomb, then become Japan's military and economic master."

You clearly don't know history. So, you're saying the world would have been better had the Americans not entered World War II and if Japan had won, the world would be a better place?

You can say a lot about America's war time past, but questioning the result of WWII is not one of them, unless you long for the military rule of the fascist Japanese regime or the Nazi purification plans.

And you're telling me that if Japan had not been such close partners with the US, Japan's current state and future would be brighter? How so? What has Abe or the 6 some prime ministers in about 8 some years makes you think all of Japan's issues were solely to blame on America? Or is it just easy to blame America?

I love how all these people always whine and complain and blame America for the ills of the world, and call America the global police. Heck yeah America has screwed up. They've forced coups, backed the wrong freedom fighters, lied, spied, and manipulated other countries. But, point to a country that is so pure and I'll call you a liar. Racism, genocide, war, liars in the government, every country has them.

Call the US the world police, that's fine. I still feel better it's them and not China or Russia or Japan. I don't think people appreciate how important it is to have the US out there to keep China and or Russia in check.

9 ( +14 / -5 )

Its very much praisable for Mr. Abe that he is contributing his efforts against terrorism inspite of the misshapp. of the two japanese hostages. I have always seen and will always want to see Japan on the acme and I hope and wish that my dream comes true as soon as possible....Love You Japan...

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

warispeace@ is righ when he says, "So basically Abe is going to report to his boss and see if there are any other orders he need to follow"

However, there are two execptions, where Abe is adamant that he is going to go on his own. One of them is about Japan's war-time wrongdoing in Asia, and the other one is about the issue of "comfort women." America tries hard to appear neutral, but it's obvious that they want Abe to unequivocally admit the country's war-time wrongdoing especially in China and Korea. And they want Abe to sincerely apologize and make amends to the "comfort women." On these accounts they are right. What' more, their views about the issues are a lot more realistic and forward-looking than Abe. By sticking to his ultra-rightist views, he's actually been doing a lot of harm to the interests of his people and country.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Abe Shinzo would be the first Japanese PM to address a Joint Session of Congress, assuming it happens. Kishi, Ikeda, and Yoshida Shigeru (I think) addressed a single house. Abe's cannot be a state visit because the head of state is the Emperor. Koizumi was rejected because of a refusal to renounce visiting Yasukuni as a condition to an address. There will be a focus on whether Abe tries revisionism, which American politicians would find distasteful. Let us recall that there is a sense of the Congress resolution from the last Congress in favor of Japan dealing squarely with war time sexual slavery. Ed Royce and Mike Honda were major backers of the resolution, and both won re-election, and Royce is the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Not all ROK Presidents have addressed a joint session (Tina Watanabe is wrong as usual.). Park Chung-hee, Chun Doo Hwan, and Roh Mu-Hyun did not. There are understandable reasons why there have been so many Korean Presidents invited to make such addresses, the most important being the fact that the U.S.-ROK alliance being directed at a real enemy with the necessity to keep a high level of preparedness. The fact that 55,000 U.S. military fatalities is the American part of a "blood alliance" even though mass conflict ended in 1953 is applicable.

Japan has an unparalleled record of pacificism and prosperity since 1945, and has won honor for the country -- unlike the record before 1945. There is no alliance with the U.S. forged in blood. Abe is a problematic representative of Japan since 1945 because he is inclined to revise or deny what occurred before 1945. Although there has been a broad reconciliation between America and Japan, there remains a consciousness of mass wave attacks, kamikaze, mistreatment of POWs, and so forth. There are also remembrances of civilian suicides in Saipan, Okinawa, and elsewhere, demonstrating the fanaticism of the Japanese forces who forced such suicides.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Travelling season. After 2years on top you bring some results or what?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think being a friend to the US and the rest of the world is preferable to being part of China-Russia-NK alliance. One wonders how the latter can feed themselves, if they can.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Even though it is an attempt to equalize the trade, the complete abolition of tariff sounds unequal to me. What's more, the wider range of liberalization like social welfare is required. Is this pact really going to work?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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