By far the most important relationship to the United States in the Asia-Pacific region is that with Japan, and Washington hopes to strengthen these ties, a former deputy secretary of defense said.
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John Hamre, now president and CEO of the Center for Strategic International Studies in Washington, said that while U.S. President George W. Bush has in substance a similar approach to Japan and Asia as his predecessor, Bill Clinton, he is much more straightforward in expressing a desire to maintain close security ties with Japan.