President Bush took time this week to escort Elvis-loving Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Graceland in a show of friendship that reminded us of the close bond the two leaders have forged since they met in 2001.
With Koizumi leaving office later this year, there is much chatter about where that will leave relations between the United States and Japan. It isn’t clear whether the recent advances in U.S.-Japan cooperation will outlast Koizumi’s retirement.
Koizumi has been criticized in his own country for making too much effort to forge a close relationship with Bush and not enough on forging better ties with its neighbors, particularly China and South Korea. Many expect Koizumi’s successor will take a more multilateral policy approach.
But maintaining warm relations is in the interests of both the United States and Japan, as China emerges as Asia’s top regional power and North Korea plays cat and mouse with its nuclear ambitions and capabilities.
Koizumi has been one of Bush’s staunchest international allies on issues like Iraq and global terrorism, taking action that is out of character for Japan – deploying some 600 non-combat troops to Iraq, the first time since World War II that it sent troops to a country in conflict. It sent ships to the Indian Ocean to support the U.S. operation in Afghanistan. Koizumi has provided some $5 billion to the Iraqi reconstruction effort. Even though Japan announced last week it is pulling its troops from Iraq, it will continue to provide air support.
In addition, with North Korea’s saber-rattling, Japan is allowing the United States to speed its deployment of Patriot intercepter missiles on U.S. bases in Japan.
The friendship between Bush and Koizumi has eased tensions over hot issues like Japan’s ban on U.S. beef (which was lifted this week in time for Koizumi’s visit), Koizumi’s annual visits to the Yakusuni shrine, which honors World War II war criminals, and even the U.S.-India nuclear power accord.
There’s also the issue of Iran. While Japan has close economic ties with Iran and disagrees with the United States over how to deal with Iran’s refusal to curb its nuclear ambitions, observers believe if push came to shove, Japan won’t forfeit its friendship with the U.S. and Europe for Iran.
The bond between the two leaders was on full display during Koizumi’s trip to Elvis Presley’s Memphis home. We hope the relationship cemented by Bush and Koizumi will carry over to Japan’s next prime minister. For for strategic reasons, well it should.
