ID :
185419
Mon, 05/30/2011 - 19:08
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/185419
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Japan, U.S. eye holding ministerial security talks on June 21
TOKYO (Kyodo) - Japan and the United States are arranging to hold a top security meeting of their foreign and defense ministers in Washington on June 21, a leading U.S. senator said Monday.
After meeting with Japan's Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto in Tokyo, Daniel Inouye, the 86-year-old president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, told reporters that the next round of the ministerial security talks is likely to be held on June 21.
But the date could still be postponed as the Japanese ministers may be unable to leave Japan before the end of the ongoing parliamentary session scheduled until June 22, according to Japanese officials.
In the so-called ''two-plus-two'' talks, the two countries are expected to reaffirm the current relocation plan for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa while agreeing to put off the earlier agreed deadline of 2014 for completing the relocation, the officials said.
Inouye, who is regarded as a heavyweight in the U.S. Senate, met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates before visiting Japan.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan summoned Matsumoto and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, who also held talks with Inouye earlier Monday, to his office and they are believed to have discussed how to deal with issues expected to be raised at the two-plus-two meeting.
After meeting with Japan's Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto in Tokyo, Daniel Inouye, the 86-year-old president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, told reporters that the next round of the ministerial security talks is likely to be held on June 21.
But the date could still be postponed as the Japanese ministers may be unable to leave Japan before the end of the ongoing parliamentary session scheduled until June 22, according to Japanese officials.
In the so-called ''two-plus-two'' talks, the two countries are expected to reaffirm the current relocation plan for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa while agreeing to put off the earlier agreed deadline of 2014 for completing the relocation, the officials said.
Inouye, who is regarded as a heavyweight in the U.S. Senate, met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates before visiting Japan.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan summoned Matsumoto and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, who also held talks with Inouye earlier Monday, to his office and they are believed to have discussed how to deal with issues expected to be raised at the two-plus-two meeting.
