Japan should take the initiative in establishing a joint team on security dialogue with the United States to discuss strengthening the bilateral security alliance, Senior Vice Foreign Minister Seishiro Eto said Thursday.
Speaking at his first press conference since assuming the post last week, Eto said Tokyo should take an "active approach" in building on the current Japanese-U.S. security alliance.
"Since we know the new U.S. administration (of George W. Bush) will demand that Japan play a bigger role and share a heavier burden (in security affairs) . . . we should not take a passive stance any more," he said.
The establishment of a project team made up of government officials and private-sector experts is "one of the things we should do in taking such an active approach," he said.
Eto, a member of a Liberal Democratic Party faction led by Foreign Minister Yohei Kono, said he wants to focus on further developing the security alliance while in his current post and to raise the issue at the senior vice ministerial meeting.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-U.S. security treaty.