At their Sunday meeting on the fringe of the G20 summit in Toronto, Canada, Prime Minister Naoto Kan and U.S. President Barack Obama agreed that the Japan-U.S. alliance is a cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. Their first meeting took place after bilateral ties had become somewhat awkward under the administration of Mr. Kan's predecessor, Mr. Yukio Hatoyama, over the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa.
Mr. Kan told Mr. Obama that he will make serious efforts to implement a May 28 bilateral accord, which stipulates that Futenma's heliport function will be moved from the crowded urban area in Ginowan to the less densely populated Henoko coastal area in Nago, farther north on Okinawa Island.
Both agreed to try to lessen the burden on Okinawa Prefecture. Mr. Obama said he understands that the Futenma relocation won't be easy, adding that he will make efforts to help U.S. forces gain more acceptance in the region. The two also took up the March 26 sinking of a South Korean corvette and Iran's nuclear program.