Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda declined July 31 to specify the geographical scope of "areas surrounding Japan" that, according to a new bilateral defense cooperation guideline, would require Japanese military support for U.S. forces in the event of war.
The deliberately undefined key phrase, considered by some to mean the Asia-Pacific region, appears in a preliminary report issued in June for the ongoing review of the 1978 Japan-U.S. defense cooperation guidelines. It is to be finalized in the fall. "We cannot specify the fringes of the region in advance, because of the nature of the issue," Ikeda said in a speech at the Japan National Press Club.
"I cannot say this term is a geographical concept. This is a concept with an emphasis on incidents (of war)," Ikeda said, implying Tokyo will support U.S. forces in any area the government deems relevant to Japan's security. The government's refusal to limit the scope of the "areas surrounding Japan" has led to complaints by Chinese leaders to Japanese officials. Beijing interprets it to mean Japan could help U.S. forces fight on the side of Taiwan, if a conflict breaks out between Taiwan and China.